Stadsgezicht, mogelijk de Van Lennepbuurt in Amsterdam c. 1900 - 1901

George Hendrik Breitner sketched this "Stadsgezicht, mogelijk de Van Lennepbuurt in Amsterdam" using graphite, offering a glimpse into the urban landscape of Amsterdam. Notice how the architectural forms, though minimalistic, evoke a sense of the city's structured environment. The scaffolding, sketched in the upper-left corner, is a prominent symbol. Scaffolding has been used in various forms of art across centuries, representing not only physical construction but also the idea of progress and transformation. We can find scaffolding in Renaissance depictions of the Tower of Babel, symbolizing human ambition and the building of civilization, but also chaos. Here, it appears as a fleeting motif, reflecting the constant flux of modern life, mirroring the psychological state of perpetual change and instability. The unfinished quality engages our subconscious, prompting reflection on the perpetual state of 'becoming' inherent in urban development, a cycle of building, decay, and renewal. This resonates with a deep-seated human fascination with the passage of time and the transient nature of existence. It’s a symbol recurring throughout history, continuously evolving yet fundamentally unchanged in its commentary on human endeavors.