Studie 1917

Curator: Here we have George Hendrik Breitner’s pencil drawing, "Studie," from 1917, currently held in the Rijksmuseum. Editor: The immediate impression is fragility, almost as if it might fade away if we look at it too intently. The pencil strokes are so minimal, just enough to hint at form. Curator: Breitner was deeply interested in capturing the ephemeral – fleeting moments of everyday life, particularly in Amsterdam. His paintings often have a snapshot quality. This drawing, a study as the title suggests, echoes that pursuit. Editor: You see this as capturing a fleeting moment? To me it looks more like examining how we, as thinking beings, are made visible through material practices such as using pencil and paper. What we designate as 'art' obscures the artist's physical involvement in a network of things like graphite production or paper manufacture. Curator: Interesting perspective. But what intrigues me are the choices made by the artist within these constraints. Notice how a few strategically placed lines suggest depth and shadow, conveying so much with so little. Does focusing too much on raw material eclipse Breitner's vision, almost? Editor: Not necessarily. The social and industrial forces allowing Breitner to simply pick up that pencil are part of how we imbue objects, or drawings of them, with value and give the illusion that they reflect truth or hold emotional relevance for us. The minimal intervention of the pencil reflects just that; a human-derived production and projection. Curator: So, you see the scarcity of marks not as intentional artistic expression but as a symptom of production? I like that it pushes me to consider my romantic conceptions around artistry. Editor: Exactly! Maybe by focusing on the subtle signs left behind from a worker who applied force with graphite, on a pressed, pulped material – we understand why museums keep art so safely behind ropes. Curator: I find it interesting how focusing on either aspect changes what I perceive. Perhaps they meet somewhere in the middle – the individual grappling with societal forces through this 'simple' drawing? Editor: A thought indeed worth pondering as we step away and explore the collection.