Zittende vrouw met ontbloot bovenlijf c. 1886 - 1923

George Hendrik Breitner made this drawing, 'Zittende vrouw met ontbloot bovenlijf' or 'Seated woman with bare torso', with pencil on paper. It's all about the process, isn't it? Look at the texture created by these lines; they build up the figure with such economy, nothing wasted. You can almost feel Breitner thinking through the form, adjusting, correcting. The quick, sketchy lines around the head, for instance, give a sense of movement, as if the model shifted slightly. The lines describing the torso have a more confident weight. There’s a real sense of the body’s presence there. It reminds me of some of Degas’ drawings. Both artists capture a similar intimacy, a sense of observation without intrusion. It's like overhearing a conversation, catching a glimpse of something private and real. Art isn’t about answers; it’s about asking questions, opening up possibilities.