Paard met tuig 1908

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch of a harnessed horse, sometime between 1857 and 1923, with graphite on paper. Look at the way the graphite line moves, almost nervously, mapping out the horse's head. It feels like Breitner is thinking through the horse, figuring it out as he goes. There's a real tenderness in how he captures the animal. The lines are light and quick, not trying to be perfect, but just trying to understand the shape, the form. The horse’s bridle and reins are described so simply, but they give you all the information you need. See how, with just a few lines, he gives the horse weight and presence? It's like he's letting us in on his thought process. This reminds me of some of Degas’ sketches of horses. Both artists were able to distill the essence of their subjects with incredible economy and insight. It shows how drawing can be such an intimate, immediate way of connecting with the world.