Figuren bij een wagen voor een gebouw Possibly 1907 - 1911

This drawing, Figuren bij een wagen voor een gebouw, was made by George Hendrik Breitner, and it looks like it was made with charcoal or a similar dry medium. The quick, expressive strokes really give you a sense of the artist working in the moment. I find myself focusing on how Breitner constructs form with these bold, broken lines. See how the lines around the figure on the wagon are kind of scribbled? They aren't trying to describe anything so much as find a shape, you know? It's all about the feeling of volume and weight rather than precise detail. The texture is also created by the varying pressure and density of the charcoal. Thinking about other artists, it reminds me a little of Daumier, in the way it captures a fleeting moment with so much energy. But Breitner has his own distinct voice. It's like he's inviting us to participate in the act of seeing. It's this openness to interpretation that keeps art alive.