Abklatsch van de potloodtekening op blad 19 verso c. 1915s - 1925s

This is a pencil transfer drawing by Isaac Israels, found in a sketchbook in the Rijksmuseum. What's great about this piece is that you get to see the ghost in the machine. You see the direct action of mark making on the left, where the artist has applied purposeful lines, but on the right you see the consequences of that action. The texture is key here. It’s not just about what Israels drew, but how it bleeds and smudges across the page. The graphite particles have this crumbly, almost ethereal quality. Look at the subtle variations in tone; the way the pencil catches on the paper's surface creates a grainy effect, with deeper blacks and faded grays. The physical act of pressing the graphite onto the paper and then seeing it transfer reminds me of printmaking. Like a Cy Twombly drawing, this is not about capturing something perfect, but about the action of artmaking itself.