Vrouwenhoofd c. 1886 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of a woman's head with graphite on paper, and the wispy lines remind me of a daydream. Israels wasn't trying to capture every detail; it's more about the feeling, the essence. I love how Israels uses the graphite to create a sense of volume and shadow. Look at the soft, smudged lines around her cheek and jaw. There's a gentle quality to the marks, like he's caressing the paper. And the way he leaves certain areas unfinished gives it an open, airy feel. This drawing makes me think of other artists who are interested in capturing fleeting moments, like Edgar Degas with his pastels. Israels, like Degas, invites us to appreciate the beauty of imperfection and the poetry of the unfinished. It's a reminder that art is about capturing a feeling, an idea, more than just a perfect representation.