Figuren op een terras of in een etablissement 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of figures on a terrace or in an établissement in 1895, using pencil on paper. It’s all about the energy of the line here. Israels is working so quickly, and the lines are so thin, that the image feels fragile, like it could blow away in the breeze. He’s capturing a fleeting moment. Look at the scribbled lines that suggest the figures. It’s like he’s trying to catch them before they move. The table is only half there, the buildings are just a quick suggestion of form. The whole thing is so open and airy, it's like a map of a feeling. This reminds me of other artists who used drawing to capture the world around them like Daumier. It’s like they’re thinking, “How little can I do and still make it work?” That’s the beauty of drawing, right? It's not about perfection, it's about the gesture, the feeling, the energy.