Annotaties c. 1889 - 1904

George Hendrik Breitner, a Dutch artist active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, made these Annotaties using graphite on paper. They now reside in the Rijksmuseum. Breitner, known for his paintings of Amsterdam city life, here offers us a glimpse into the more private process of artistic creation. What we see are names, numbers, addresses, and fragmented thoughts jotted down seemingly at random. The annotations, in the context of Breitner's wider body of work, reveal the artist's immersion in the rapidly changing urban environment. The fragmented nature of the notes mirrors the sensory overload of modern city life. Breitner’s sketches and notes became ways of documenting and processing the world around him. These kinds of drawings give insight into the institutional history of art. It helps us understand the creative process as a form of social engagement. To understand this work further, one might delve into Breitner's personal correspondence, exhibition reviews, or the urban planning documents of Amsterdam during his time. Art history helps us understand how the work documents a particular moment in time.