Gezicht op een ophaalbrug, mogelijk in Amsterdam c. 1903

George Hendrik Breitner made this drawing of a bridge, possibly in Amsterdam, with graphite on paper. It's a quick sketch, an underdrawing perhaps, or maybe a more complete work in its own right. Look at the way the lines are laid down, almost like scaffolding, each mark building on the last to create a sense of depth and structure. There’s a real physicality to the medium here. You can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the page, the pressure of the graphite creating darker, more defined lines in some areas, and lighter, sketchier marks in others. The shading on the right-hand side of the bridge is particularly interesting, a series of diagonal lines that suggest both form and shadow. It reminds me a little of Van Gogh, who also used line in a very expressive way. Ultimately, this drawing is a testament to the power of art as an ongoing process of exploration and discovery.