Staande vrouw, mogelijk voor een spiegel 1887 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this sketch of a standing woman, possibly before a mirror, using a pencil on paper. The immediate visual impact lies in its ethereality, conveyed by the delicate and sparse use of lines that hint at form without fully defining it. The composition is structured by a series of horizontal lines, anchoring the figure, while the sinuous strokes that delineate the woman's form suggest movement and reflection. The artist uses line to explore the themes of self-perception and representation, subtly challenging the notion of a fixed, singular identity. The mirror, implied rather than explicitly drawn, functions as a symbolic device, prompting questions about the gaze and the construction of the self. Israels' open-ended approach invites viewers to complete the image, encouraging active engagement with the artwork's semiotic potential, blurring the boundaries between the visible and the imagined.