Bedragen Possibly 1881 - 1886

This page of calculations was made by George Hendrik Breitner in the late 19th or early 20th century with graphite pencil on paper. While we don't know the precise date, the work speaks volumes about the economic realities of the time. The rough paper, likely a common ledger material, immediately suggests a utilitarian purpose. Breitner, an artist known for his gritty depictions of Amsterdam, here reveals the nuts and bolts of an artist's life: the constant tallying of expenses. The graphite, applied with varying pressure, shows the artist's hand at work, pressing harder to emphasize certain figures. The very act of calculation, a repetitive, almost mindless task, is thrown into stark relief. The crossing out of numbers and the revisions suggest the constant negotiation between artistic ambition and financial constraint. This work is a potent reminder that art, even when seemingly divorced from the world of commerce, is always embedded within it.