Studieblad met vrouwen 1875 - 1934

Editor: So here we have 'Studieblad met vrouwen,' a study sheet of women by Isaac Israels, dating from 1875 to 1934. It’s a pencil drawing currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. I’m immediately struck by the sketchiness – it feels like we're looking at a private moment, a glimpse into the artist's thought process. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, it's like stumbling upon a hidden corner of Israels’ mind! For me, the beauty lies precisely in that "unfinished" quality. It's not about perfect representation, but about capturing a feeling, an essence. See how he uses just a few lines to suggest form and volume? It’s like he’s saying, “Here’s an impression, catch it if you can.” Does it remind you a little of Degas? Editor: Definitely! Especially those glimpses of everyday life, though Degas feels a little more polished, even in his sketches. This feels rawer, more immediate. Almost as if Israels was trying to catch the women unawares, or perhaps as ideas for his paintings. Curator: Exactly! It's a visual shorthand. These quick sketches are like mental notes, fleeting observations jotted down before they vanish. Look at the different poses, the angles…he’s experimenting, seeing how the light falls, how the fabric drapes. What stories do you imagine they might be living? Editor: Maybe they are waiting for a train? Or backstage at a theatre? I can see these sketches as possible references to an impressionist painting portraying daily, modern, bourgeois life in Amsterdam. This image almost shows a private view of models waiting between poses. Curator: I think so, there's something beautiful in those everyday mundane moments of life, but captured by the sensitivity of Israels observation. And for me, that's what makes art so captivating, isn't it? We connect not just with the image, but with the artist's way of seeing the world. Editor: Definitely! I was really looking at it, at first, in terms of composition, but your focus on the artist's gaze has opened it up so much more. Thanks!