Studieblad met Japanse figuren 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing, Studieblad met Japanse figuren, using graphite on paper. The sketchy lines give it an immediacy, like it was made on the spot. What grabs me is how Israels uses the graphite, not to create volume or depth, but to suggest movement. The figures are composed of quick, looping lines, almost like scribbles, but they describe the human form so economically! You get the sense that Israels was interested in capturing a feeling more than an accurate likeness, which, for me, is always more interesting. Check out the figure in the middle of the page. See how the lines overlap and intersect? It creates a sense of restless energy. The marks aren't precious or labored, they are more like a shorthand, a quick notation of what the eye sees. This drawing reminds me a little of Matisse's line drawings, it's art about making, not about a final product. It's this quality that keeps me coming back, always finding something new in the apparent simplicity.