Gebouw c. 1883 - 1885

George Hendrik Breitner made this drawing, called "Gebouw," using graphite on paper. It’s a quick sketch, the kind an artist might make while observing the world around them. You can see how Breitner used the graphite to capture the weight and solidity of the building, using dense shading to give the structure form, and lighter, more fleeting lines to suggest the surrounding space. The texture of the paper itself becomes part of the image, adding a subtle graininess that enhances the sense of immediacy. What’s fascinating here is that Breitner isn't trying to create a polished, finished artwork. Instead, he’s capturing a moment, a fleeting impression of the urban landscape. This approach elevated the status of a simple sketch, traditionally seen as a preliminary step, to a work of art in its own right. It reminds us that the act of making, the process of observation and recording, can be just as important as the final product.