Figuren in badkleding, op de rug gezien 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels drew these figures in swimwear with graphite on paper, and just look at those pencil lines, how they dance and suggest form! I love how he’s captured those figures from behind, like a quick glance at a scene, a moment registered. You can almost feel him there, quickly sketching in his notebook. I know that feeling, the urge to capture something before it disappears, like a thought that flits away. The scratchy marks around the figure on the left make me think about movement, life, and light. Israels wasn’t trying to give us the whole story, just a hint, an impression. I can imagine him thinking about Degas and Manet while making this sketch. In the end, it is the incompleteness of the piece that invites us to participate, fill in the gaps, and join the ongoing conversation between artists across time.