Figuurstudies 1883 - 1885

These sketches were made by George Hendrik Breitner. Look closely at the repetition of the face, a motif as old as time. Here, the profile is explored, a common pose in ancient coins and Renaissance portraits, symbolizing status and identity. Consider the single eye, floating freely. It recalls the "evil eye," a symbol found across cultures from ancient Greece to modern-day Turkey, meant to ward off misfortune. Though Breitner's intent might have been purely artistic exploration, the collective unconscious cannot be denied. This symbol resonates with deep-seated fears and superstitions, and this disembodied eye reminds us of the fragility and vulnerability of human perception. Observe how the human face, once a symbol of individuality, becomes fragmented and repeated. This suggests a loss of self, an echo of past representations mingling with the present. This image resonates as an emblem of both individual expression and shared cultural memory, continually evolving in our collective psyche.