Vrouw met hoed, mogelijk op de Dam te Amsterdam c. 1893s - 1903s

This loose sketch, possibly of a woman with a hat in Amsterdam, was made by George Hendrik Breitner, using what looks like charcoal or graphite on paper. Breitner's marks are so raw, so immediate, you can almost see him capturing a fleeting moment, right? The texture of the paper itself becomes part of the drawing, lending a kind of atmosphere to the scene. I love the way the dark, scribbled lines of the hat contrast with the fainter, more tentative strokes outlining the figure’s form. It’s like he’s zeroing in on the essence of the subject, letting the rest fade into suggestion. Look at how he’s built up the hat with these dense, almost frantic marks! It’s as if he’s trying to trap the energy of the moment, the buzz of the city. There's a real edginess in his mark making. Think of someone like Käthe Kollwitz, who also used drawing to capture the rawness and immediacy of life. Both artists remind us that art isn’t always about perfection. Sometimes, it’s about capturing a feeling, an impression, a moment in time.