Vrouwenhoofd 1875 - 1934

This is a sketch called ‘Vrouwenhoofd’ by Isaac Israels and it’s in the Rijksmuseum. You know, the thing that gets me about a drawing like this, is that it's not just about capturing a likeness, it's about the joy of mark-making itself, the sheer pleasure of seeing a line come alive on paper. Look at the way he's used these quick, confident strokes to build up the form. There’s this beautiful, almost nervous energy in the lines around the face. Like the artist is trying to catch a fleeting moment, a thought, or an emotion. See how he's scumbled the marks on her neck, like he's shading with a pencil, it's such a simple thing, but it gives the drawing such a sense of depth and texture. It makes me think of other painters, like Manet, who were also interested in capturing the fleeting moments of modern life. For me, a drawing like this is a reminder that art isn't about perfection, it's about the beauty of the process, the joy of seeing the world in a new way.