Stadsgezicht met water 1880 - 1923

George Hendrik Breitner made this city scene with water, probably in the late 19th or early 20th century, using what looks like a humble graphite pencil. It’s so slight, a little fleeting observation really, but it’s full of information, both visually and conceptually. The drawing has this raw, unpolished quality; the lines are sketchy, tentative, like Breitner was thinking out loud on paper. Look at the cross-hatching on those cylindrical forms at the front – is it a bridge? – the lines seem to pile up, searching for the form. It's all about the process of seeing and recording. The texture of the paper is almost as important as the marks, creating a subtle, gritty feel that adds to the urban vibe. You know, this reminds me a bit of Manet's quick sketches—that same sense of immediacy and capturing a fleeting moment. It’s like they’re both saying, "Hey, life is messy, let's embrace the sketchiness."