Paardenstudies c. 1883 - 1885

Editor: This is "Paardenstudies," or "Studies of Horses," by George Hendrik Breitner, likely from around 1883 to 1885. It's a charcoal drawing, and you can see it at the Rijksmuseum. What strikes me immediately is the sketch-like quality; it feels very immediate and raw. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, for starters, it tickles me to imagine Breitner, sketchbook in hand, probably right there in the thick of things, you know, at a stable or market—completely captivated by the energy of these steeds. It’s more than just anatomical study, isn’t it? More like trying to capture the very *essence* of horsepower! Editor: Absolutely! There’s a sense of movement, but also almost a tactile quality, the charcoal almost feels like you could reach out and touch the horse’s rough coat. Was this typical of his style? Curator: Breitner was very much a chronicler of his time, but with a twist. He's not aiming for photographic realism, it is closer to capturing a fleeting feeling. That grainy charcoal helps—think of it as a mood enhancer, setting the scene to something akin to a memory. The kind of thing that jumps back at you, when you are half awake, but still somehow familiar, would you not say? Editor: That's a great way to put it. A fleeting memory. I hadn't considered that before. So much of art history can be about grand statements, that it is refreshing to see something like this, that just sort of exists. Curator: Indeed. In art—as in life—the best insights are usually the ones you figure out for yourself. The artist’s job is merely to suggest where to look. That’s the thrill of discovery, I would say. Editor: Agreed! It's nice to be reminded that a sketch can hold just as much value as a finished painting. Curator: You said it! Let’s keep exploring.