An Impressionist painter's gritty street photos of Amsterdam circa 1900

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A cyclist on the Prinsengracht.

Image: George Henrik Breitner/Rijksmuseum via Europeana

George Hendrik Breitner was born in the Netherlands in 1857, and developed a talent for painting by the time he was in his twenties.

After encountering Impressionism during a stint in Paris, he became a leading figure of Amsterdam Impressionism, often sketching scenes of everyday life on the streets alongside his contemporary, Vincent Van Gogh (whose paintings Breitner later described as "coarse and distasteful”).

In the 1890s, he added photography to his repertoire, finding it to be a useful tool for capturing fleeting conditions and scenes for later reference. Read more...

More about History, Art, Retronaut, Amsterdam, and Netherlands

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