Zittende vrouw, mogelijk in uniform 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this pencil drawing of a seated woman, possibly in uniform, at an unknown date. The marks are so delicate, so tentative, aren’t they? It feels like Israels is feeling his way around the subject, line by line, trying to capture not just her likeness, but her essence. I can almost see him, perched on a stool, squinting, pencil hovering above the page. What's she thinking, this woman in uniform? Is she bored, or contemplative? The sketch is so open, so unresolved. You could imagine her as a soldier, a nurse, or even a volunteer. Israels leaves it to us to fill in the gaps. The whole thing reminds me of those quick figure studies artists do, searching for the perfect pose, the perfect expression. There's a sense of immediacy here, a freshness that feels so alive, so of-the-moment. It’s like we’re looking over Israels’ shoulder, witnessing the birth of an idea. And that’s what painting is all about, isn’t it? A conversation between artist and subject, a dance of lines and shadows, a constant process of discovery.