Jonge vrouw op een ezel c. 1890 - 1920

Isaac Israels made this drawing of a young woman on a donkey, and it’s like witnessing a thought take shape right before our eyes. The charcoal dances across the paper, building form with a flurry of marks. I can imagine Israels, squinting, maybe even chuckling softly to himself as he commits to this quick study. There’s a real tenderness in the way he captures the weight of the body on the donkey's back, the soft curve of its neck. You get the feeling that he felt a bond with this subject. It reminds me of Daumier's lithographs, they both share a real affection for the everyday person. Look at those scribbled lines defining the donkey’s hind legs! They're not just descriptive; they're full of energy, and the movement is palpable. The whole thing feels so alive, it is a beautiful expression of the joy of seeing and recording.