Drie figuren 1893

George Hendrik Breitner created this sketch, Drie figuren, at an undetermined date, using graphite on paper. It is a study of people or objects with particular attention to the use of light and shadow. Breitner worked during a time of immense social change. The Netherlands was rapidly industrializing, and the art world began challenging academic traditions. Breitner associated with a group called the Amsterdam Impressionists, and he embraced a more realistic depiction of modern life, and, as we can see here, a looser style. Breitner was also deeply interested in photography, using it as a tool for capturing fleeting moments. Here, we see a moment, captured in charcoal, on a page from his sketchbook. Research into Breitner’s personal papers and the archives of Amsterdam could tell us more about his motivations, and perhaps reveal the specific moment he tried to capture. What can art tell us about this moment in history?