Twee staande figuren, mogelijk mannen 1886 - 1923

George Hendrik Breitner made this sketch of two standing figures, possibly men, with graphite on paper. It’s all about the visible process, you know? Breitner leaves his marks raw and immediate, the essence of seeing and recording. Look at the back of the figure on the right, the way the lines describe the curve of the shoulders and the set of the coat. These aren't laboured over; they have a freshness and openness that invites you to complete the picture in your own mind. There’s something so unassuming about the approach, it’s like he's capturing a fleeting moment, a feeling, rather than aiming for perfection. The paper is thin, almost transparent, so the graphite sits right on the surface. This reminds me a bit of some of Degas's quick studies, that same interest in the everyday, in the beauty of the unposed. Art isn't about answers, it's about the questions we ask, and the conversations we have along the way.