Boerderij in een landschap c. 1885 - 1898

George Hendrik Breitner made this quick sketch of a farm in a landscape with charcoal on paper. Breitner lived during a time of rapid urbanization in the Netherlands. His choice of subject matter then, a rural landscape, takes on a certain weight, as the Netherlands shifted from an agrarian society to a more industrialized one. Breitner was known for his focus on the everyday life of the working class and the urban landscapes of Amsterdam, however, in this sketch, he instead captures a quiet scene away from the city. The simplicity of the drawing emphasizes the solitude of rural life, a stark contrast to the bustling cityscapes he often depicted. Although modest in scale, the sketch is also an emotional reflection of the artist’s own sense of place and identity. It speaks to the universal themes of change, memory, and the search for belonging in a world undergoing massive transformation.