Gezicht op een muur aan de Leidsegracht ter hoogte van de Prinsengracht c. 1914s

George Hendrik Breitner made this graphite drawing, ‘View of a Wall on the Leidsegracht at the Prinsengracht’, sometime around the turn of the twentieth century. It is on paper, torn from a sketchbook – a quick sketch, made on the spot. I really respond to this kind of work. You can sense the artist finding his way, working out the problems in front of him, trying to capture a sense of place. The quick marks and light shading capture the scene, but also the feeling of being there. Look at the way he's scratched at the surface, using the side of the graphite to create different textures. It reminds me that art isn't about perfection, but about feeling. It's about the gesture and the intention behind it. It’s about conversations with other artists. When I see drawings like this, I feel kinship – a connection to the history of image-making and its ongoing story.