Vrouwenhoofd met hoed, in profiel 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of a woman’s head in profile using expressive strokes of what looks like charcoal or soft graphite. What grabs me is how Israels uses line to suggest not just form but also light and shadow. Look at the area around the woman's hat. The lines are almost scribbled, yet they somehow convey the shape and texture of the fabric. Then, notice how the lines become more controlled and directional around her face. They create a sense of depth and volume, suggesting the play of light across her features. The bold hatching in the hair contrasts with the more delicate lines of the face, and that dark weight anchors the whole composition. It reminds me a little of Manet in its immediacy and how it captures a fleeting moment. It’s this dynamic tension between abstraction and representation that makes the drawing so compelling to look at. There’s a real sense of process here, of the artist thinking through the medium.