Figuurstudies 1875 - 1934

This is a pencil drawing by Isaac Israels, called Figuurstudies. The drawing feels like the residue of an action. I see Israels circling a form, maybe a head, with scribbled lines, feeling his way around it. Then some quick lines capture a figure with an economy of means. I can imagine Israels, sketchbook in hand, quickly capturing a scene, thinking about Manet, perhaps, or Degas. This sketch feels like a fleeting moment, a whisper of a thing, and the speed of mark-making conveys the urgency of the artist to capture his impressions. There's a joy in the immediacy, the intimacy of the gaze. It is this lively exchange, this conversation between artists across time that makes painting endlessly inspiring.