Wolken 1834 - 1911

Jozef Israëls made this study of clouds with a pencil on paper. It is a sketch, and it might appear unfinished, yet we can see it as an interesting reflection of Israëls' artistic practice, and his place within a network of art institutions. Israëls was a prominent figure in the Hague School, a group of Dutch realist painters who sought to capture the everyday lives of ordinary people. His work often focused on the struggles of the working class, and he saw art as a means of social commentary and reform. This study of clouds might be seen as a departure from his more typical subject matter, yet we can also view it as an expression of his interest in the natural world and its connection to human experience. By studying his sketchbooks we can understand his process more intimately, and think about what role such preparatory work played in the creation of his more finished pieces.