Annotaties 1914 - 1923

George Hendrik Breitner made this page of Annotaties with pencil in the late 19th or early 20th century. The scribbled notes have an appealing intimacy. They feel immediate, a direct trace of the artist's thoughts. The texture of the paper, the smudging of the graphite, and the density of the layered marks create a captivating surface, like a palimpsest of ideas. The calculations and names overlap, constructing a personal language. Note the way Breitner circles particular phrases, giving them emphasis, as if speaking to himself. I love the way the eye jumps around the page, trying to decipher the puzzle of his mind. It reminds me a little of Cy Twombly's chaotic mark-making, though Breitner's intention is far more functional. Ultimately, this page invites us to consider the notes and sketches that often lie behind a finished work of art. It makes you think about art as an ongoing conversation, a process of thinking, seeing, and doing.