Portret van Jozef Israëls met gevouwen handen 1896

Jan Veth rendered this drawing of Jozef Israëls with crayon and pencil. Both men were of Jewish heritage, and key figures in the intellectual and artistic life of the Netherlands at the turn of the century. Israëls, who was in his seventies when this portrait was made, was a celebrated painter of the Hague School, known for his sympathetic depictions of working-class and rural life. Veth, who was several decades younger, was an artist, poet, critic, and socialist intellectual, deeply engaged in the social issues of his time. Here, he captures Israëls in a moment of quiet contemplation, his hands clasped in a gesture that suggests both weariness and reflection. The drawing speaks to the intimate relationship between the two men, and offers us a glimpse into the cultural and intellectual milieu of the Dutch art world. It reminds us that portraiture is not just about capturing a likeness, but about preserving a moment in time, and the complex web of relationships that shape our understanding of ourselves and each other.