Gezicht op de Dam te Amsterdam met de Nieuwe Kerk 1886 - 1923

George Hendrik Breitner sketched this view of the Dam in Amsterdam, with the Nieuwe Kerk, using graphite on paper. The rawness of graphite lends itself to capturing the industrialization and urbanization that Breitner witnessed firsthand. Here the artist sketches the outlines of the buildings and the church tower. Notice how the texture of the graphite creates depth, suggesting the play of light and shadow on the architecture. Breitner was known for his interest in capturing the energy of modern city life. With their immediacy, sketches like these were a way to engage directly with the visual experience of urban life. This was a move away from formal studio painting, bringing art closer to the everyday. Looking closely at the material and the process reminds us of the physical act of making, and the artist’s direct encounter with a rapidly changing world. It challenges the traditional hierarchy between a quickly made sketch and more elaborate paintings.