Danseres op het toneel, in profiel 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels created this sketch of a dancer on stage, using pencil on paper, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. The sketch is a study of movement, capturing the dancer's form in a fleeting moment, almost dissolving into thin air. Israels was part of a generation of artists in the Netherlands who responded to the social and cultural shifts of the time. The late 19th century saw the rise of new forms of entertainment and leisure, and the figure of the dancer became an increasingly popular subject for artists. Thinkers were preoccupied with the aesthetic possibilities of capturing such transient movements. To truly appreciate this sketch, it is important to place it within its historical context. By researching the dance culture of the time, the role of women in the arts, and the changing landscape of European entertainment, one can gain a deeper understanding of the sketch and its significance.