Studie 1883

George Hendrik Breitner made this study, sometime around the late 19th, early 20th century. It is a page torn from a sketchbook, and the faint marks on this paper invite us to consider the world through the artist's eyes. Breitner, living in Amsterdam during a period of rapid urbanization, was fascinated by the lives of ordinary people. This sketch offers us a glimpse into his process, capturing a fleeting moment, perhaps of a woman, reduced to just a few lines. His work broke from the traditional, idealized representations of women. Instead, he sought to capture the gritty realities of modern urban life. What does it mean to see a figure represented so simply? What can we understand about the gaze, and who gets to have it? By focusing on everyday subjects and capturing candid moments, Breitner challenged the norms of his time. He invites us to find beauty and significance in the mundane aspects of the world around us.