Dierstudies c. 1886 - 1903

George Hendrik Breitner created this sketch of animals with a pencil on paper. Breitner was a leading figure in the Amsterdam Impressionism movement, which embraced gritty, urban realism. He walked the streets of Amsterdam with his camera, and the most ordinary things became his subject. His animal drawings were also ordinary; no heroic beasts but working horses and pets. The intimacy of this sketch gives us insight into the artist’s eye. Breitner had a passion for capturing fleeting moments, and here the quick strokes and unfinished lines convey a sense of immediacy, as if the animals were caught in a momentary pause. These were sketches, the beginning of an artistic process, a preparation for a painting. I find myself captivated by the way he captures the essence of these creatures with such simplicity. There is a vulnerability in their quiet observation, an invitation to connect with the natural world on an intimate level.