Figuurstudies c. 1930 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this pencil drawing, 'Figuurstudies,' sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. What I find fascinating here is how the artist used these quick, repetitive marks, building and solidifying form through short, back-and-forth strokes. I can imagine Israels in his studio, rapidly moving his hand across the paper, trying to catch a figure, a pose, the light, or the way a garment hangs. There’s this horizontal energy in the center, countered by the vertical gestures on the left, like he's trying to trap something. The whole thing reminds me of a Cy Twombly drawing or maybe even some of Giacometti’s sketches, where the line is searching, always restless. It’s like Israels is in conversation with those artists across time, each pushing at the boundaries of how a simple line can capture the complexity of form and movement. And those of us looking get to enter that conversation, too.