Drie zittende figuren 1875 - 1934

Editor: This is "Drie zittende figuren," or "Three Seated Figures," by Isaac Israels, made sometime between 1875 and 1934. It’s a pencil drawing currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. The composition is fascinating – very gestural, almost fragmented. What strikes you about the piece? Curator: I am immediately drawn to the formal relationships within this work. The density of line, the varying pressure applied to the pencil creating dark and light values, establishes a dynamic visual rhythm. Note how Israels uses hatching to define form and volume, yet the figures remain somewhat ethereal and unresolved. It presents a compelling study in tonal contrast. Editor: Ethereal is a great word for it. So, the focus is really on the… technique itself? Curator: Precisely. Observe the economy of line – how few strokes are used to suggest posture, dress, and even something of character. The interplay between the positive and negative space is also critical. The whiteness of the paper acts as a compositional element. Do you find the strategic erasures add something? Editor: Yes, it reinforces the unfinished quality, as if we’re witnessing the artistic process itself. It is like an attempt at fixing lines with the rubber or maybe making them softer. It adds some dynamism to the scene. Curator: Indeed. And within that perceived incompleteness, Israels seems less concerned with photographic accuracy and more invested in capturing an immediacy, a fleeting impression of these figures. The way he simplified these shapes almost gets rid of individual identity in favour of a group mood. Editor: I hadn't considered how much the simplification contributes. I was so focused on the sketchy quality. I'll definitely be looking for this level of construction in future works. Curator: As will I. Focusing on formal properties opens the door to new understandings and feelings of connection, in an artwork that could initially look inaccessible.