Twee paardenstudies 1873

George Hendrik Breitner made these studies of two horses with a pencil on paper. Breitner was very interested in the representation of the working class, and in the Netherlands at this time, horses, like humans, were part of that demographic. It's important to remember that while we might see horses as symbols of the natural world, or of leisure, they were often exploited for labor. Breitner wasn't just interested in documenting what he saw. He was deeply invested in the emotional experience of modern urban life. The sensitivity of the lines here speaks to this emotionality. Breitner's sketch develops a narrative where the emotional and physical experiences of both humans and animals are documented, reflecting a shared struggle within the rapidly changing social landscape.