Gezicht in Amsterdam, mogelijk het Rokin 1912 - 1919

This is a graphite sketch, probably from a sketchbook, of a view in Amsterdam, by George Hendrik Breitner. Look at that jumble of lines! It’s like he’s trying to capture the chaos and energy of the city all at once, a feeling I know so well when I start a painting. I bet Breitner stood there, charcoal in hand, trying to pin down the essence of the Rokin. It’s all about these quick, scribbled lines, right? Like he’s not trying to be precise, but more to get the feeling, the vibe. You can almost see him squinting, trying to figure out the angles and shapes of the buildings. That one bold stroke cutting across the middle – is it a rooftop? A bridge? It doesn't matter. It’s about the act of seeing and responding. It makes me think about how we, as painters, are always in conversation with each other, across time, riffing on the same themes, the same messiness of life.