Uitgespannen paard met een haverzak c. 1914s

This graphite drawing of a resting horse with a feedbag was made by George Hendrik Breitner in the Netherlands. Breitner was known for his depictions of working-class life in Amsterdam, and this drawing offers a glimpse into the daily lives of animals who worked alongside people in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The sketch-like quality and the mundane subject matter reflect a broader shift in artistic taste toward the everyday, capturing fleeting moments of modern life. Breitner, like many artists of his time, was interested in representing the gritty realities of urban existence, as opposed to idealized or historical scenes. To fully appreciate Breitner's work, it’s useful to consider the social and economic conditions of the Netherlands at the time and also the institutional art world. Archival sources, such as exhibition catalogs and period reviews, can provide valuable context. These help us see how artists like Breitner challenged traditional artistic norms by bringing attention to previously overlooked aspects of social reality.