Paard Possibly 1881 - 1883

Editor: Here we have George Hendrik Breitner’s “Paard,” likely from the early 1880s. It’s a pencil drawing on paper, and it looks like it was done in a sketchbook. It feels so immediate and raw, and makes me wonder about the working conditions of the working class during that time. What strikes you about it? Curator: I’m drawn to the materiality of this piece – the roughness of the paper, the directness of the pencil strokes. It's clearly a study, and the immediacy you note offers an authentic record of Breitner’s observation and working process. Think about what horse labor meant then. Editor: A source of transportation? Curator: More than that. Consider how heavily horses were relied upon to produce a range of goods, they also would have featured heavily on the streetscape. How does seeing the horse represented this way impact your reading of his process, compared to how we celebrate equestrian prowess in paintings, sculpture, and equestrian pursuits today? Editor: That’s a fantastic point! It makes me consider the relationship between artistic labor, represented by Breitner’s sketching, and the animal labor, so vital at that time. Were the horses considered materials, too, exploited by the elite for production? Curator: Precisely! It encourages us to reconsider how artistic process mirrors and engages with broader systems of production and consumption. By using a quick, almost disposable medium, Breitner arguably highlights a tension between the enduring qualities associated with fine art and the fleeting nature of labour. Editor: This has really expanded my understanding of the drawing! Now, when I see it, I think beyond just the image of a horse and focus more on the historical circumstances of making. Curator: Exactly, viewing through the lens of materials can shift one's entire perception of a work.