Studies van een meisje met hoed 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made these studies of a girl with a hat using pencil on paper. I can almost feel him circling the model, trying to capture her essence from different angles. The marks are light and quick, feeling out the form, then digging in with some heavier shading, particularly in the drapery and hat. I wonder what he was thinking as he drew? Perhaps he was interested in how the light fell on the folds of her clothing, or maybe he was simply trying to capture a fleeting moment of beauty. It reminds me of Degas's dancers, caught in mid-motion, or even some of Manet's quick sketches. There's a real sense of spontaneity and experimentation here, like he's just letting his hand move across the paper without overthinking it. It’s a reminder that art is often about the process, the exploration, and the conversation between the artist and their subject.