Vrouwen en kinderen, mogelijk op straat 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this sketch of women and children, possibly on the street, with a pencil. Look at the scrawling quality of the marks – it's all about capturing a sense of movement, a fleeting impression. You can tell he’s really looking, but not lingering. The pencil lines are quick and light, almost like he’s afraid they’ll disappear if he presses too hard. See how the figures seem to emerge from the page, only partially defined? There’s a real sense of atmosphere, of a crowd milling about. Notice the faces, so expressive with just a few lines. Especially the woman to the right, her gaze is very intense. It’s like Israels is saying, "Here, look at this," but also, "Don't look too closely." Israels reminds me of Degas, another master of capturing everyday life with a sense of intimacy and immediacy. I think art should be like this, not too precious, always open to interpretation.