Compositiestudie met figuren c. 1903

This drawing was made by George Hendrik Breitner, but there is no date on it. It looks like the artist was working out how to arrange a composition with figures on a page. I can imagine Breitner with a sketchbook, trying to get an idea down before it disappears. I love that he includes these rectangles, one inside the other, to set out the boundaries of the composition. The artist is thinking, "How do I put these figures together? What is the balance?" The figures are just a few lines, but you get the gist of the artist's thinking. The lines are loose and free, and the artist is not trying to be too precious. I sympathize with that—it’s not easy to wrangle figures on a page! And it is not easy to wrangle figures in the world. The beauty of art is that it lets us try.