Mannen in een etablissement 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of men in a pub with pencil on paper. It's all quick, gestural marks that let us know what's up. I imagine him sitting in the corner, quickly sketching to capture the scene before it disappears. I can sympathize with Israels here. It's not easy making something look effortless! I imagine him thinking about Degas, or Manet – the way they captured the everyday hustle and bustle of modern life. Israels is part of that lineage. He wants to show you the world as he sees it, the fleeting moments, the light hitting the surfaces and bodies. Look at how he uses these dark, scribbled lines to define the figures. There’s a real energy here. It communicates a feeling of being there, in the thick of it. The drawing might be simple, but it speaks volumes about the artist’s eye and his ability to capture a moment in time. It's like a painter's shorthand, a visual diary entry. And those guys, those guys are just drinking and hanging, and being guys.