Vrouwenhoofd met hoed, in profiel 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of a woman's head with a hat in profile at some point in his career using what looks like charcoal or graphite. The marks are so immediate, and the shading so smudgy, that you can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the page. It has a real intimacy. I can imagine Israels quickly capturing a fleeting moment, the way the light falls on her face, the tilt of her hat, or the set of her jaw. I wonder if he was trying to understand something about her, or about himself, through the act of drawing? The drawing feels unresolved, a sketch rather than a finished piece, as if it is more about the process and the journey. The hat almost seems to merge into the woman's head, creating an interesting interplay between form and shadow. It's as though she is emerging from the darkness. Israels's drawing reminds me of the work of other artists who were interested in capturing a sense of immediacy and spontaneity. It is a constant exchange of ideas.