Paard c. 1886 - 1903

This is "Paard," a sketch by George Hendrik Breitner from the late 19th and early 20th century, now held in the Rijksmuseum. Breitner was known for capturing the energy of Amsterdam, especially its working class. This sketch of a horse offers a glimpse into the labor and urban life of the time, when horses were a common sight pulling carts and trams. One can only imagine the physical and emotional connection between the working class and these animals. The horse, rendered with quick, assertive strokes, embodies a sense of raw energy but also perhaps the weariness of daily toil. Breitner once said he aimed to paint "the people in the streets," and here, the horse becomes an emblem of that urban populace. It serves as a reminder of the animals that shared in the labor and lives of the working class. The horse has its own history of gendered representation; consider how such a symbol contrasts with our modern modes of transportation. Breitner's sketch encourages us to reflect on how our cities are built, and who, or what, contributes to that development.