Studie, mogelijk van een staande vrouw in kostuum 1875 - 1934

This drawing, possibly of a standing woman in costume, was made by Isaac Israels. I can only imagine the artist working en plein air, quickly sketching the figure in front of him. The barest of lines – a flourish here, a curve there – bring the figure into being. I like to think of the artist's hand moving fast, capturing the essence of the figure’s posture and dress in just a few strokes. There’s a sense of spontaneity, as though the artist is trying to capture a fleeting moment. Israels was part of the Amsterdam Impressionism movement and he’s in dialogue with Manet and Degas. And like them, he was interested in the figure in motion, in capturing the energy of modern life. He’s showing us how a simple gesture can communicate so much. It’s a reminder that art is always in conversation, each artist building on the ideas of those who came before.