Revuedanseres c. 1915s - 1925s

Isaac Israels made this drawing, Revuedanseres, with a pencil on paper. Look at the flurry of graphite marks swirling around the dancer. I can imagine Israels's hand moving quickly across the page trying to capture the dynamism of the stage. Doesn’t it make you want to be there in the theatre with him? I love how the hatching effect creates a sense of depth and shadow, while the loose lines give the whole sketch a sense of lightness. The dancer herself is all energy and movement, captured in just a few simple strokes. It’s really a masterclass in economy. You know, this kind of rapid sketching and emphasis on capturing the fleeting moment reminds me of Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec. Artists, they're always in dialogue, right? Feeding off each other's ideas, inspiring each other to see the world in new ways.