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

Isaac Israels made this drawing, possibly of a standing woman in costume, with pencil on paper. I love how delicate the marks are, like he barely touched the surface. For me, it speaks to the artmaking process as one of discovery. Look at how the faintest lines suggest the form of the figure, it's almost as if he's coaxing her into existence. You can see the texture of the paper itself coming through. The wispy lines around the figure's head are especially evocative. They give a sense of movement and presence that feels incredibly alive, and this feeling is enhanced by the sparseness of the drawing, the negative space filled with potential, like an invitation. Israels reminds me of Degas, especially in the way he captures fleeting moments with such sensitivity. Both artists share this wonderful quality of imbuing their work with ambiguity, leaving room for the viewer to fill in the gaps and bring their own experiences to the interpretation.