Figuren op straat, mogelijk in Parijs 1887 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing, "Figures on the Street, Possibly in Paris," with pencil on paper and I can almost feel him there, sketching quickly, trying to capture the fleeting energy of a bustling city. The drawing is so gestural, all scribbled lines and smudged shadows, and I imagine Israels standing on a street corner, his eyes darting around, his hand racing to keep up. Look at the way the lines seem to vibrate, capturing the energy of the scene. You can almost hear the clatter of horses' hooves and the murmur of voices. The buildings loom up, rendered in a flurry of vertical strokes. It's like he's trying to catch the whole city in a single glance. It reminds me of other painters, like Manet or Degas, who were also trying to capture the fleeting moments of modern life. And it makes me think about how artists are always in conversation with each other, across time and space, inspiring each other to see the world in new ways.