Rijtuigen op straat 1887 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this sketch of carriages on the street with graphite on paper. I can almost see Israels hunched over his sketchbook on a busy street. The tip of his graphite stick nervously dashes across the paper, trying to capture it all, before the scene disappears! It's all about these quick, almost frantic, lines. See how they build up? There's a real sense of urgency and movement. The wheels of the carriages are turning, and the passengers are bustling about. I think of other artists like Daumier, or even some of the Italian Futurists, who were also trying to capture the energy of modern life. Artists are always trying to one-up each other: what's the quickest, most expressive way to capture a feeling, a moment? There's a real bravery in leaving it so open, so unresolved. It invites us to participate, to fill in the blanks. And, let's be honest, isn't that what good art is all about?