Reclining Female Nude 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing with what looks like charcoal or conte crayon, and it's all about the quick capture of a moment. You can almost see the artist circling the figure, trying to nail down the pose with these energetic lines. It’s like he’s thinking, "How can I get the essence of this person down as quickly as possible?" There’s a real sense of immediacy, a desire to capture the fleeting impression of the reclining nude before the model shifts or the light changes. I sympathize, because that’s what it’s like when you are drawing from life! You're always chasing after something. It's about suggesting form and weight with minimal means, isn't it? Just a few well-placed strokes to imply the curve of a back or the angle of a limb. It’s a kind of visual shorthand that’s really effective. Artists, we're all just bouncing ideas off each other across time.