Gezicht op het Damrak te Amsterdam met boten 1912 - 1919

This is a drawing of the Damrak in Amsterdam with boats, by George Hendrik Breitner. It’s a flurry of marks, a sketch done with graphite on paper. I can imagine Breitner right there, on the spot, trying to capture the scene with quick gestures. You know, those marks are like shorthand for what he’s seeing. Look at how the lines intersect and overlap, creating a sense of depth and movement. It’s like he’s mapping out the space, figuring out where things are in relation to each other. You can almost feel the energy of the city. There is a certain rawness to it, a kind of directness that I really admire. It reminds me a bit of some of Cy Twombly’s scribbly drawings, but with a Dutch sensibility. Artists are always in conversation, you know, riffing off each other, pushing things in new directions. It’s an ongoing exchange of ideas across time. This drawing isn't trying to be perfect or complete; it’s more like a moment captured in time.