Staande vrouw, mogelijk een variétéartieste 1875 - 1934

This drawing of a standing woman, possibly a variety artist, was made by Isaac Israels with graphite on paper. The marks are so immediate, you can practically feel the artist sketching, deciding, erasing, figuring things out as he goes. It’s like watching his thought process unfold right before you. There's a looseness here, a freedom in the lines. Notice how the dress is just suggested with these quick, energetic strokes. You get a real sense of movement. The dark marks at the bottom and near the figure’s head and torso anchor the composition, framing the figure while simultaneously obscuring her form. It reminds me a little of Degas, who also loved to capture the fleeting moments of performers and dancers, but with a bit more rawness. Israels is part of this lineage, this ongoing conversation about how to capture life, movement, and the human form with just a few lines. It’s all about the process, the search, the not-knowing that makes art so exciting.