Paard en figuren bij het Koninklijk Paleis te Amsterdam 1886 - 1923

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch of horses and figures at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam with graphite on paper. Here, the apparent roughness of graphite works in synergy with the composition’s bustling subject. Notice the rapid, somewhat impatient lines, mirroring the energy of the horses and the city scene. Graphite, in its essence, is a material of immediacy, allowing artists to capture fleeting moments with swift, expressive marks. It’s a medium accessible to many, yet in Breitner’s hands, it becomes a tool for social commentary. The choice of graphite also speaks to the artist’s working method. He used photography extensively, which allowed for the rapid capture of scenes, and it is evident in the way he used graphite as an exploratory medium, recording visual data and impressions. This was not fine art for its own sake, but a way of bringing observation and insight to the realities of urban life. Considering the artwork through the lens of its material and making allows us to appreciate it as more than just a sketch, but also as a reflection of a moment, a society, and an artistic process rooted in the everyday.