Ruiter 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing, called 'Ruiter', in his sketchbook, just a quick little sketch of a horse and rider. I'm looking at these very deliberate pencil lines, and I'm thinking about the artist sketching, maybe quickly, trying to catch the essence of movement. You know, it's amazing how a few simple marks can suggest so much. There's a real energy in the way he’s captured this subject, a sense of flow and speed. I wonder what Israels was thinking about when he made it? What he had for lunch? The horse and rider are reduced to basic forms and gestures, and they really remind me of Cy Twombly's drawings; Twombly would reduce figures to almost calligraphic marks, lines and shapes. And, the way Israels uses the lined paper of the sketchbook—it's a bit like a musical score, giving rhythm to the composition. It makes you think about how one artist's work connects to another across time.