Groep figuren 1886 - 1923

This drawing, ‘Groep figuren’, was made by George Hendrik Breitner, probably in a sketchbook. It's all about the hand and eye working together, figuring things out. The kind of quick notation that feels like thinking out loud. The charcoal is laid down with such immediacy; it’s almost like you can hear the scratching of the material on the page. See how the lines are rough and searching, not trying to be too precious or perfect. There's this cluster of marks near the bottom, where the figures seem to be gathering, it's so energetic! It’s not about capturing a likeness, but more about feeling the weight and presence of the scene. It reminds me of the kind of rapid, intuitive sketches you see from someone like Daumier. You get the sense of an artist deeply engaged in the process of seeing and recording the world around them, embracing the messiness and ambiguity of it all.