Gezicht op boten aan het Damrak te Amsterdam c. 1903

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch of boats on the Damrak in Amsterdam, probably en plein air, right there on the spot! The process here is all about quick, decisive marks, trying to capture the essence of the scene. Look at how he uses these simple lines to suggest the complex shapes of the boats and buildings, it is really something. The texture of the paper peeks through, reminding us of the immediate, almost urgent nature of the drawing. See how a few scribbled lines manage to evoke the reflections in the water. It’s like he's not just drawing what he sees, but also how he feels. Breitner’s work reminds me a little of James McNeill Whistler, another artist who embraced the sketch as a finished form, focusing on mood and atmosphere over precise detail. It’s a beautiful reminder that art doesn’t always need to be polished to be powerful.