Man in een kruiwagen c. 1883 - 1885

This is a sketch by George Hendrik Breitner, titled 'Man in a Wheelbarrow' housed at the Rijksmuseum. Breitner worked in the Netherlands in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and was known for his depictions of working-class life. Breitner here is not shying away from portraying the reality of working-class life in Amsterdam. The loose sketch style adds to the sense of immediacy, capturing a fleeting moment of everyday labor. It invites us to reflect on the social and economic conditions that shape artistic production. The sketch reflects the artist's progressive leanings by focusing on the life of a common laborer rather than a traditional subject of art. To understand Breitner's motivations and the reception of his work, one might delve into the archives of art institutions or consult period newspapers. The meaning of this sketch is contingent on its social and institutional context.