Paard en een figuur op een bouwterrein 1897

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch titled 'Horse and figure on a construction site' using graphite on paper. Breitner was known for capturing the working-class life of Amsterdam, focusing on the gritty reality of urban existence. Here, amidst the rough strokes depicting a construction site, the figure of a worker emerges. This person, likely caught in the daily grind of labor, might represent the countless individuals whose efforts shaped the rapidly changing urban landscape. Breitner, who felt most at home among these people, once said: "I am no intellectual... I am a maker.” In this light, the drawing becomes a meditation on the experience of the working class. The scene reflects themes of identity and social class, inviting us to consider the human stories embedded within the bricks and mortar of the city. It prompts us to think about the intersection of individual lives and the broader forces of industrial progress.