Rijtuig 1896 - 1897

This evocative sketch, Rijtuig, was made by George Hendrik Breitner using graphite on paper. The carriage appears as a fleeting motif of urban life in the late 19th century. Consider the wheel, a symbol that echoes across time and cultures. In ancient sun worship, the wheel embodied the solar deity's celestial journey, a testament to eternal return. Even today, in various religions, the wheel is a metaphor for the cyclical nature of existence. But in Breitner's modern context, the carriage wheel is more than an ancient symbol; it's a signifier of movement and change. This connects to society's ever-accelerating pace, mirroring the psychological experience of disorientation and the search for stability amidst an unstable world. The symbol of the wheel as a mode of transportation also has its roots in something basic: the human desire to overcome limitations and reach for the horizon. This is a feeling that continues to resonate across generations.