Strijdende soldaten met zwaarden 1872 - 1879

George Hendrik Breitner sketched ‘Fighting Soldiers with Swords’ with a graphite pencil on paper. The scene is dominated by the symbol of the sword: a long, pointed weapon that signifies power, authority, justice, and, of course, violence. The raised sword, poised to strike, is a visual echo resonating through time. From ancient Roman gladiators to medieval knights, this gesture embodies a primal tension between life and death. Think of Caravaggio’s David, with the head of Goliath in hand. The sword, a tool of destruction, also carries the weight of triumph and divine retribution. In this sketch, Breitner captures a moment charged with conflicting emotions: fear, aggression, and the desperate will to survive. The sword is not merely a weapon, but a potent symbol, embodying humanity’s endless cycle of conflict, forever etched in our cultural memory.