Staande vrouw 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing in pencil, probably in a sketchbook, at an unknown date. What I really like about this sketch is the raw energy in each line. It’s almost as if you can see the movement of the artist’s hand as he quickly captured the essence of the figure before him. The texture of the paper comes through, and the lines are scratchy and light in some places, darker and more emphatic in others. It really speaks to artmaking as a process of discovery and responding to the world. Look at how Israels uses just a few lines to suggest the folds of the figure's clothing and the shadows on her face. These rapid marks feel like he's channeling something urgent and fleeting. You could relate this to other artists who are fascinated by modern life, like Manet and Degas. Like them, there is something very provisional and open about this piece. This is art that embraces the unfinished and the ambiguous.