Paardentram voor een reclame, mogelijk van Blooker's Cacaofabriek aan de Weesperzijde te Amsterdam c. 1895 - 1898

Editor: This is "Paardentram voor een reclame, mogelijk van Blooker's Cacaofabriek aan de Weesperzijde te Amsterdam" - a pencil drawing on paper by George Hendrik Breitner, dating back to somewhere around 1895-1898. It's currently held at the Rijksmuseum. It strikes me as quite fragmented, almost like a collection of quick sketches. What do you see in this piece, looking at it purely from a formal perspective? Curator: I observe an engagement with line and form stripped down to its essential components. Notice how the lines aren't definitive; they imply rather than declare. The structure of the horse tram, though incomplete, demonstrates an interest in the geometric properties inherent in urban structures. There's an evident push-pull between the flatness of the paper and the suggestion of three-dimensional space through these tentative lines. Do you find any particular set of lines to be more or less prominent than others? Editor: I'm drawn to the lines that form the suggestion of the tram itself, specifically where you can make out "Blooker." The heavier application of pencil there creates a sense of depth compared to the sketchier lines of the horses and surrounding cityscape. I suppose that also alludes to the advertising aspect mentioned in the title. Curator: Precisely. This emphasis invites us to consider the spatial relationships created solely by the variance in line weight. Breitner is exploring the materiality of pencil on paper to depict, not just represent, a complex subject. Consider, how might different arrangements or omissions of line affect our interpretation? Editor: Well, if the "Blooker" advertisement were rendered with the same weight as the rest of the sketch, it might blend in and lose its prominence. It might also make the whole scene look more unified. I hadn't really thought about how much of an effect it all had on the composition until now. Curator: And that is precisely what Breitner achieves, drawing our attention to the interplay between the represented object and its inherent formal qualities. Editor: This close look at the marks themselves has really shifted my perception of the drawing. Thank you!