Gezicht op een straat in Amsterdam, mogelijk de Driehoekstraat c. 1902

This sketch of a street in Amsterdam, possibly the Driehoekstraat, was made by George Hendrik Breitner. It's quickly rendered on paper with graphite. The immediacy of the sketch gives us a glimpse into Breitner’s working process. The roughness of the graphite marks and the visible texture of the paper support suggest a utilitarian approach to art-making. This wasn't about creating a highly finished object, but rather about capturing a fleeting impression. You can almost see the artist quickly laying down the basic composition and architectural details. It makes you wonder about the relationship between labor and artistic production. Was Breitner interested in the architecture itself? Or perhaps more in the broader social context it represents? It's clear that the material qualities of this sketch—the simplicity, the speed, the bare minimum of means—are critical to understanding its aesthetic effect. This piece challenges us to look beyond traditional notions of artistic skill and value.