Gezicht op het Singel in Amsterdam ter hoogte van de Paleisstraat 1898 - 1902

George Hendrik Breitner created this sketch of the Singel in Amsterdam using graphite on paper. The composition is split across two pages, immediately drawing attention to the sketchbook’s material form. The drawing captures a view dominated by the bare branches of trees, sketched with an immediacy that suggests a fleeting moment. Horizontal lines indicate the water and distant buildings. The artist uses line and form to create a sense of depth, yet the skeletal trees assert the surface of the paper. Breitner's choice of a quick sketch over a detailed rendering reflects a shift towards capturing sensory experience. The unrefined quality of the sketch challenges traditional notions of finish and artistic value, suggesting that the act of seeing and recording is as important as the final image. This work asks us to consider how the unfinished can convey a powerful sense of place and atmosphere.