Zittende vrouw met haar benen over elkaar, in profiel c. 1930 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of a seated woman with her legs crossed in profile, with what looks like graphite on paper. It feels like a fleeting moment, captured with a sense of immediacy. The artist wasn't trying to show off, you know? It’s all about the process. Look at the way he uses line – so sparse, so economical. Each stroke seems to carry the weight of observation, defining form and space with minimal effort. The texture of the paper becomes part of the image, adding a layer of roughness that contrasts with the smoothness of the graphite. Notice that dark line near the edge - is that a chair? A wall? It's a puzzle, and I love that. This drawing reminds me of Degas and his pastels – that same focus on capturing movement and gesture, the same appreciation for the beauty of everyday life. But where Degas is all about elegance and refinement, Israels is more raw, more direct. For me it is the art of seeing becoming the art of doing.