Twee vrouwen op de Dam te Amsterdam c. 1893s - 1903s

George Hendrik Breitner captured these two women on the Dam in Amsterdam using a pencil. Imagine Breitner quickly sketching, trying to capture the essence of these figures with just a few lines. You can see the energy in the strokes, like he's racing to keep up with the fleeting moment. There's something so immediate about it, like a snapshot taken with a pencil. It reminds me of some of Degas's quick sketches of dancers, trying to catch movement and light. I wonder what Breitner was thinking as he drew them. Was he intrigued by their posture? The way their dresses fell? Did he think about the story that they might tell? I'm always fascinated by the conversation between artists across time. Breitner, Degas, and so many others – they're all riffing off each other, picking up ideas, and pushing them further. And with this sketch, he’s inviting us to join in, adding our own interpretations to the mix.