Gezicht in Amsterdam, mogelijk de Dam c. 1902 - 1914

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch of a view in Amsterdam, possibly the Dam, with charcoal on paper. You can see the artist grappling with the urban landscape, trying to capture the essence of the place. There are these bold, almost frantic lines, they give the sense of a city always in motion, full of energy and grit. The charcoal is applied so directly, so immediately. I can imagine Breitner standing there, quickly trying to get it all down before the light changed or the moment passed. It's like he's saying, "Here's what it feels like to be here, right now." Think of other artists like Käthe Kollwitz, who also used charcoal to express deep feeling. It’s a beautiful reminder that art isn’t just about perfect representation. It’s about feeling, about being present, and about trying to communicate something real about the world. We’re all connected through this shared experience of seeing and making.