Annotaties c. 1906 - 1923

This page of annotations was created by George Hendrik Breitner, a Dutch artist working at the turn of the 20th century. Just look at the off-white of the page and the way the ink bleeds and settles into the fibers. I can picture Breitner rapidly jotting down thoughts and observations. The handwriting is dense, urgent. I feel like I'm looking over his shoulder as he makes notes, maybe in a café or on a train. I wonder what it was like for him to walk around Amsterdam at that time, constantly observing and recording. I imagine him noticing the light on a canal, the way people moved through the streets, and scribbling down those fleeting impressions. Breitner was known for his paintings of Amsterdam and his interest in capturing everyday life. These annotations give us a glimpse into his creative process, his way of collecting information and ideas. It’s fascinating to see how artists work through their thoughts in different ways, constantly building on what has come before.