Soldaten naast hun paarden c. 1873 - 1923

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch, "Soldiers Next to Their Horses", using graphite on paper. The immediate impact is one of energetic, almost frantic lines forming figures and animals. Breitner masterfully uses the stark contrast between the graphite and the paper to create a sense of immediacy. The lines are not just descriptive; they are expressive, conveying movement and tension. The composition seems hastily rendered, yet it captures the essence of a moment, freezing action in time. This aligns with the late 19th-century shift towards capturing fleeting moments and subjective experiences. Breitner does not offer a polished representation, but rather a raw, unfiltered glimpse into a scene. The use of line is so dominant that it transcends mere depiction; it becomes the very subject of the sketch. This foregrounds the process of art-making itself, emphasizing the artist's perception and interpretation over the literal representation. The sketch challenges us to consider how much can be communicated with minimal means and to appreciate the expressive potential of the simplest formal elements.