Paard met een deken 1872 - 1879

George Hendrik Breitner made this pencil drawing of a horse with a blanket, which can be found at the Rijksmuseum. The drawing is dominated by the horse; its posture, the blanket, and the space around it. Breitner has captured the horse in a moment of stillness, but the animal also appears restless. The contrast between the dark tones that model the horse's body and the stark white of the blanket draws the eye. The blanket acts as a geometric form that interacts with the organic form of the horse. The composition creates a sense of tension between control and freedom. This interplay is not just aesthetic; it suggests a deeper engagement with the themes of representation and reality. Breitner's work often explored the transient nature of urban life, and in this drawing, we see a similar interest in capturing a fleeting moment. The drawing reminds us that art is not about fixed meanings but is an ongoing process of seeing and interpreting.