Drie staande of lopende vrouwen 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this pencil sketch of women, titled "Drie staande of lopende vrouwen," likely sometime between 1880 and 1934. The quickness of the marks suggests that Israels was trying to capture a fleeting moment. Israels belonged to the group of Dutch Impressionist painters and was taught by his father, Jozef Israels, who was part of The Hague School of artists. In this sketch, we see how Israels was interested in modern city life. He shows us the briskness of modern life, and the ever-changing scene of people going about their daily business. To understand Israels' work better, we can look to exhibition catalogues and period publications to understand the public role of art at the turn of the century. The sketch reflects the era's changing social conditions, and how artists negotiated the tension between tradition and modernity.