Jongen zittend op een balk op palen aan een waterkant 1834 - 1911

Editor: This drawing from Jozef Israëls, dating from 1834 to 1911, shows a boy sitting on a beam at the water's edge. It's done in pencil and the detail is just stunning, I must say. What is your take on it? Curator: Observe how the artist masterfully uses line to create form and texture. The boy's figure is rendered with remarkable precision, a play between light and shadow to communicate the volumes present. And the very setting around him…it all emphasizes a particular construction that focuses our vision in an ordered space. Editor: I can see that, I was intrigued by the cross-hatching and the way he defined shapes just with lines. How does that relate to the overall composition? Curator: The composition strikes me in two important aspects. There is the subject itself, in apparent idleness. And on the other hand, the dynamic strokes that portray foliage behind it. Do you feel like this adds to the piece, creates unity or tension, perhaps? Editor: I think it definitely adds dynamism. If everything were as detailed as the boy, it might feel too heavy, do you agree? Curator: Precisely. The contrast, and the use of the pencil's capabilities creates movement and interest in what might otherwise be an all too predictable study. How does this linearity influence your understanding of this, ultimately, romantic work? Editor: That's fascinating, I didn't initially read it as romantic, but understanding the pencil strokes as creating that sort of dreaminess helps me see the sketch, the image, in a new way!