Zittende vrouw 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of a seated woman with what looks like graphite on paper. It’s all about getting the gesture down, right? You can see him feeling around for the line, not trying to be too precious. Look at the heavy shading on her collar, like scribbled velvet. It’s interesting how he uses the weight of the marks to suggest form, but also to give a sense of the woman's presence. I love the way the sketchiness interacts with the solidity of her figure. It's like he's trying to capture not just what she looks like, but how she feels in that moment, sitting there. And there's something so casual about it, like he just grabbed whatever was handy and started drawing. The drawing reminds me of a Cy Twombly painting, that same energy and playful line. They both remind us that art is a conversation, not a monologue.