Kop van een meisje met een bril c. 1885 - 1902

Jozef Israëls sketched this 'Head of a Girl with Glasses' in pencil on paper, probably in the Netherlands sometime in the late 19th century. Israëls, a Jewish artist, is a key figure in the Hague School. This art movement broke with the Dutch Romantic tradition and the conventions of the art academy by turning to the realities of everyday life. Israëls' art reflects his social consciousness, which led him to portray ordinary working-class people. He became known for intimate, sensitive, and sympathetic portrayals of the poor and the marginalized. The girl’s head with glasses is an intimate study of a young girl. The way she is represented, with close attention and without idealization, is typical of Israëls' style, reflecting the Dutch Realist art movement. By researching the artist's biography, the cultural context of the Hague School, and the social conditions in the Netherlands at the time, we can better understand the meaning and significance of this artwork.