Lopende vrouw, van achter gezien c. 1886 - 1934

This is Isaac Israels’s sketch, Lopende vrouw, van achter gezien, now held at the Rijksmuseum. Though undated, it captures a subject that preoccupied artists of the late 19th century: the modern woman. Israels, like his contemporaries, was taken with portraying women in urban settings, often from unconventional viewpoints. This sketch is a glimpse of a woman walking away, her form suggested with quick, assured strokes. Consider the implications of seeing her from behind. Does it objectify her? Or does it offer a sense of her independence, her movement through the world on her own terms? The loose style mirrors the fleeting nature of modern life, reflecting a changing society where women were increasingly visible and active in public spaces. The sketch itself feels like a stolen moment, an intimate yet anonymous observation. This piece embodies the tension between traditional representations and the emerging narratives of women's experiences during a transformative era.