Staande en lopende figuren 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this sketch of standing and walking figures with pencil, quickly capturing their essence in a flurry of lines. Look at how Israels used an economy of means to render the folds of the clothes. I can imagine him standing there, maybe in a busy street or a park, quickly trying to record what he saw. He’s not trying to give us every detail, just the feeling of movement and presence. The lines are light and airy, almost like a breath. See how some lines are darker, giving a sense of weight and form, while others are barely there, like ghosts. It reminds me of the sketches of Degas, who also loved to capture the fleeting moments of everyday life. Artists are always looking at each other, borrowing ideas, having silent conversations across time and space. It's like we're all part of one big, messy, beautiful family. And that's what makes painting so exciting, it's never really finished.