Straatgezicht bij avond 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this street scene at night with chalk, in what looks like one, maybe two goes. I love how this drawing shows us the artist thinking. You can almost see him squinting as he works, trying to capture the essence of the scene before the light changes, or his attention wanders. He's not trying to be precise, but he’s trying to get something down, trying to nail the feeling of a street at night, the dark looming buildings, the strange way the light pools. I imagine Israels standing there in the twilight, chalk in hand, quickly sketching the scene before him. I wonder if he was thinking about other artists who had captured the night, like Whistler or maybe even Rembrandt? Or was he just trying to capture the feeling of the moment, the way the city feels different after dark? I think it's about conversation, isn't it? We are all just trying to speak to each other across time.