Vrouw met hoed, op de rug gezien c. 1886 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of a woman with a hat, seen from behind, with what looks like charcoal. It is all about speed and directness. The marks are raw and unblended and seem to capture a fleeting impression. See how the texture of the paper is integral to the drawing. The tooth of the page grabs the charcoal, making it skip and stutter, creating a broken line. It feels like the artist was trying to quickly capture the essence of the figure before it disappeared. The hat is a mass of dark scribbles, obscuring the figure’s head and the details of her face. These bold strokes create an interesting tension. The drawing invites us to fill in the gaps and imagine the woman’s features. Similar to Degas, Israels gives us a snap shot of modern life. He is interested in depicting a sense of immediacy and movement.