Artilleristen bij paarden 1884 - 1886

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch of artillerymen and horses with pencil on paper. Though seemingly an unassuming, quotidian sketch, it's worth considering the position of the military within the culture of the Netherlands at the time. Breitner was working in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, a period in which the Netherlands was experiencing rapid industrialization and urbanization, leading to shifts in social structures and political ideologies. The military held a prominent place within the collective imagination, embodying ideals of national pride and strength. Breitner's sketch offers a glimpse into the day-to-day reality of military life, but it might also act as a subtle commentary on the changing role of the military in a society undergoing modernization. Understanding this work requires placing it within the context of Dutch society and its evolving relationship with the military. To do this, we can turn to historical sources, military archives, and studies of Dutch cultural history.