Twee figuren op een terras 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this graphite sketch, Two Figures on a Terrace, to explore a composition, maybe for a larger work. I love seeing the raw, almost frantic energy in these marks. You can almost feel the artist trying to capture a fleeting moment, the essence of these figures in their setting. Israels is wrestling with the perspective, trying to nail the light and shadow that defines their forms. Look how the lines aren't just descriptive, they're expressive, full of movement and uncertainty. It reminds me of sketches by Manet or Degas. This kind of work is about process as much as it is about the subject. It’s an invitation to see how an artist thinks, how they build an image from the ground up, through layers of searching and finding. In that spirit, we are all constantly sketching and re-sketching to arrive at a clearer picture of ourselves.