Abklatsch van de krijttekening op blad 12 verso 1875 - 1934

Here’s a chalk drawing on paper by Isaac Israels, housed at the Rijksmuseum, that feels like a ghost of an image. The tones are soft greys and whites, distributed unevenly across the surface. It reminds me of a photograph that has faded with age, or an image that is only partially visible through fog. I wonder what Israels was thinking when he made this. Was he trying to capture a fleeting moment, or explore the possibilities of the chalk medium? The marks are very gestural, almost like he was trying to capture movement or energy rather than a precise likeness. The textures in this work are subtle, but they play an important role. The paper is slightly rough, which gives the chalk something to grip onto, creating a sort of toothy feel. You can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the surface, pressing down hard in some areas, and barely touching it in others. And maybe that touch is what art is all about, and why we keep doing it, and looking at it.