Paardenhoofd met hoofdstel 1881 - 1883

Curator: Immediately, I’m drawn to the sketch-like quality, that sense of immediacy! Editor: Let's delve into "Paardenhoofd met hoofdstel," or "Horse's Head with Bridle," a graphite and pencil drawing created by George Hendrik Breitner between 1881 and 1883. It's currently held at the Rijksmuseum. Curator: The sketchiness definitely works. See how Breitner uses varying densities of hatching to suggest form, particularly the light falling on the upper plane of the head. The simplicity almost highlights the essence of the subject, a raw and quick study. Editor: Right. And Breitner's work here resonates with the late 19th-century shift away from formal academic art, which favored controlled detail. Breitner positioned himself amongst the avant-garde who actively challenged established artistic conventions through this sort of naturalism, which we often understand under the banner of Impressionism. He also engaged with contemporary debates on animal welfare by focusing his art and practice upon the everyday usage of the animal in modernizing urban infrastructure. Curator: Interesting. So this seemingly simple drawing has socio-political dimensions? I’d argue that while important, approaching this work demands consideration to the compositional aspect as well. How would you regard the use of line as it attempts to describe the bulky mass of the horse, bound and held? Editor: Absolutely, it embodies the new, embracing quick and candid observations that countered traditional, posed portraiture. In its roughness, there’s a focus not so much on idealism or accuracy, but instead the representation of immediacy. You know that at that time horses provided essential urban labour and transit; this raw style is an honest view into this role. Curator: I’m happy to yield here. The hasty style surely mirrors the rapid pace of modernisation, making his style and medium perfectly aligned in this case! Editor: So together, we see a drawing that is beautiful, but has some significant social and institutional resonance to enhance its appeal and import!