Trampaarden 1867 - 1923

Curator: George Hendrik Breitner’s "Trampaarden," created between 1867 and 1923, is an intriguing work to contemplate here at the Rijksmuseum. It's primarily charcoal and pencil on paper. Editor: Immediately, the dynamic line work grabs me. It feels very gestural, like the artist was trying to capture movement and form simultaneously. There’s an energy to it that's quite compelling, even in its unfinished state. Curator: Breitner was deeply interested in the working class and the urban landscape of Amsterdam. These weren’t noble steeds but working horses, likely used to pull trams or carts. His choice of charcoal and pencil reflects accessibility, perhaps signifying art for, and of, the common person. Editor: Yes, there is an intriguing roughness but what's also visually compelling to me is the artist's strategic use of negative space. The stark white background creates a contrast that intensifies the focus on the horses. How do the materials interact? Is there any subtle toning to that ground? Curator: Precisely, he isn't attempting a refined "finish". Breitner focuses on immediacy, typical of his Impressionistic approach. We can observe that he captured them through keen observation of industrial labor but what labor powered these artworks? Were they studies for other works? Or exhibited on their own merits? Editor: That brings us to the interesting tension of a drawing presented as a final artwork. While this sketch showcases impressive command, some might consider the lack of colour as incomplete, lacking that emotional appeal many seek. I would agree but admire that economy of line, that clear and confident execution to arrive to the suggestion of those tram horses' power. Curator: Absolutely. Breitner wasn't concerned with polished idealism, which leads me to wonder what role the art market had at the time? Were these works made for private commissions, part of some broader project for an exhibition or political print? And in regards to materials, perhaps they were selected in the interests of accessibility. Editor: An insightful observation. Now that you have put this forward, it also gives insight into the urban transformation ongoing at the time. Curator: These rough tram horses were witnesses to a transforming Amsterdam. Editor: Leaving us pondering the layers within those sketches.