Twee aangespannen paarden 1893

George Hendrik Breitner created this sketch of two harnessed horses in the late 19th or early 20th century. Breitner was known for his depictions of working-class life in Amsterdam. Here, the rapid strokes capture a fleeting moment, reflecting the energy of the urban environment. Breitner's impressionistic approach challenged traditional representations of animals in art, often idealized and romanticized. Instead, we see working horses, their bodies rendered with a raw, almost brutal honesty. There's a social dimension to this work, a commentary on the labor and lives of these animals who were so central to the industrializing city. What does it mean to see these animals as workers, their strength harnessed for human purposes? It invites us to consider the emotional and physical toll of labor, both human and animal.