Vrouwenhoofd 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing, Vrouwenhoofd, sometime in his life, probably with graphite on paper. It’s all about these quick, almost scribbled lines isn’t it? You can almost see the artist figuring things out, line by line. The real energy of the piece lies in its pure process. The texture of the paper is so present, almost like another character in the sketch. See how the hat is barely there? The face, just a few lines? The sketch feels like it’s about to disappear, which is also what makes it so alive. And then there's the small, almost accidental doodle toward the bottom. It's loose and strange, as if a small world has appeared at the bottom of the paper. Israels reminds me of other artists interested in capturing a kind of immediacy, like Manet. Both artists remind us that art is less about perfect representation and more about an ongoing conversation, a way of seeing and thinking.