Zittende man c. 1883 - 1885

George Hendrik Breitner made this drawing of a seated man with graphite on paper. The grainy texture created by the graphite gives a sense of immediacy. The act of drawing is, in itself, a kind of labor, and the marks on the page are a direct record of Breitner’s hand and his actions. You can almost imagine the artist quickly sketching in a cafe or on the street, capturing a fleeting moment. The dark shading gives weight to the figure, highlighting the man's posture and presence. The texture and weight of the graphite create an atmosphere of everyday life, a world away from the polished surfaces of high art. Looking closely at the material and process used here, we can appreciate that this drawing is more than just a study of form. It's an intimate glimpse into the artist's world, and the world of the working man. It invites us to reconsider our assumptions about what constitutes art, and to value the skills and labor involved in its creation.