Strijdende soldaten, deels te paard 1872 - 1879

Curator: This drawing, created by George Hendrik Breitner between 1872 and 1879, depicts "Strijdende soldaten, deels te paard," which translates to "Fighting Soldiers, partly on horseback." It's rendered in pencil on paper and currently resides in the Rijksmuseum collection. Editor: It’s stark, isn’t it? So much negative space makes the chaotic action feel even more violent. The roughness of the sketch gives it immediacy. You can almost hear the clatter and screams. Curator: The sketch is part of the Romantic tradition in Dutch art. We must consider the era's valorization of heroic masculinity and martial prowess. Breitner likely saw conflict as a formative crucible for identity. How do we reckon with that ideal today, in our analyses of class and power? Editor: Looking at the dense cluster of figures versus the open space surrounding them, it makes me consider Breitner’s technique. It is like he laid down just enough graphite to give form and motion to what would have been a study of human interactions. I am struck by how such a study, created via drawing, has such power over its viewer to imply all types of production involved in conflicts. Curator: Indeed. This historical narrative comes at a cost, even as the piece might elicit a range of readings that account for trauma, exploitation, and resistance within the frame of war. Editor: From the vantage point of the 21st century, Breitner’s exploration invites conversations about power, conflict, and perhaps unintended legacies of the romantic movement that often championed ideals that, in practice, caused incredible damage. It becomes an illustration to see this sort of study, and to witness its impact and potential. Curator: Understanding how deeply implicated these traditions are in our current socio-political reality invites important self-reflection as we contextualize their representation. Editor: Yes, seeing those implications inherent within the use of the pencil on this paper offers quite a bit to consider and learn about how it plays its own important role.