Paarden met rijtuig op het Leidseplein in Amsterdam c. 1890 - 1910

George Hendrik Breitner captured this photo, "Paarden met rijtuig op het Leidseplein in Amsterdam" in the late 19th or early 20th century. Breitner, a Dutchman, was known for depicting the working class and urban life of Amsterdam. This image presents a stark, almost journalistic view of the city’s Leidseplein, featuring a horse-drawn carriage and a formally dressed man. The photograph offers a glimpse into the rigid class structures of the time; the working animals and their place in the city, contrasted with the bourgeoisie. Breitner’s choice of subject matter often challenged the romanticism prevalent in painting, opting instead for realist depictions of everyday life, unfiltered and raw. The image is devoid of glamour, focusing on the ordinary. Breitner invites us to consider the stories of those often overlooked. He once stated, "I see beauty in the mundane, in the everyday." The photograph captures a moment, but it also hints at broader societal narratives of labor, class, and the changing face of a city.