Staande vrouw, in profiel 1875 - 1934

This pencil drawing of a standing woman in profile comes from the hand of Isaac Israels. The profile view is an ancient artistic strategy. Think back to ancient coins, or even further, to the figures painted on the walls of caves. This vantage point presents not just a likeness but something more profound. The woman’s gaze, though unseen, pulls us into her inner world, inviting us to project our feelings and interpretations onto her form. We are like detectives, piecing together clues to understand a hidden narrative. Consider the Egyptian queen Nefertiti, always captured in profile, an immortal, serene icon of power. Then think about the woman here, captured by Israels, in a fleeting moment. Despite the great distance between these two images, both tap into our deeply rooted fascination with identity and representation. They show us the complex and cyclical nature of human expression.