Man bij paarden c. 1886 - 1898

George Hendrik Breitner created this charcoal drawing called 'Man bij paarden'– or 'Man with horses'– sometime during his career, which spanned the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Breitner was known for capturing the dynamic pulse of city life and working-class subjects in Amsterdam. In this sketch we see the artist’s characteristic interest in portraying the everyday lives of ordinary people, particularly the laboring class, in an urban environment. How might our understanding of labor and class be different today from when Breitner made this drawing? The rough, quick strokes of charcoal work to capture a transient moment, a snapshot of life as it unfolds. Breitner, who once said "I am no painter of salon pieces… I paint what I see," was interested in the gritty realities of modern life. The emotional resonance of this sketch comes from the understated connection between the man and the horses, inviting us to reflect on our own relationships with the world around us. 'Man bij paarden' thus invites us to consider the historical context of labor, class, and urbanization through a distinctly human lens.