Gezicht op de Oudezijds Kolk te Amsterdam c. 1902

This graphite sketch, titled "Gezicht op de Oudezijds Kolk te Amsterdam," was made by George Hendrik Breitner. Breitner lived through the Dutch Golden Age, a time marked by significant social changes that redefined class structures and cultural norms. Breitner, like many artists of his time, grappled with how to represent the everyday lives of ordinary people. Unlike his contemporaries, Breitner often depicted Amsterdam's working class. His interest lay in capturing fleeting moments and the transient nature of urban life, turning away from traditional, romanticized depictions of Dutch society. There is an immediacy in this sketch, a desire to capture a scene quickly. The sketch provides a glimpse into the artist's observational skills and his connection to the city around him. It invites us to consider the value of the unpolished and the beauty in the everyday.