Vrouw met hoed, in profiel 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of a woman in a hat, using charcoal and chalk on paper. Look at that dark mass of scribble next to her face. That’s her hat! I can imagine Israels standing there, rapidly sketching this woman, capturing her likeness with these raw, energetic lines. It's like he's trying to trap a fleeting moment, a gesture, a glance. And that hat—it’s practically devouring the space around her head, a bold statement rendered in thick, dark strokes. I can almost feel the scratch of the charcoal on the page. Israels was part of a generation of artists who were looking at modern life, capturing the energy of the city and its inhabitants. His drawings and paintings often have this quick, sketch-like quality, as if he’s trying to capture the immediacy of experience. He's in conversation with artists like Degas and Manet, but with his own Dutch twist. I see him, pencil in hand, connecting to the world, one line at a time.