Studie c. 1923 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this study with graphite on paper, and, right away, I see a field of energy. It's like he's mapped out a whole world in a few strokes. I wonder, was he thinking of landscape, or was he just letting his hand wander? The scratchy lines give it a real sense of urgency, like he’s trying to capture something fleeting. It reminds me of Cy Twombly’s scribbles, but with a touch more grounding. See how the dark, diagonal marks build up a kind of shadowy depth. You can almost feel the pressure of the graphite on the page, and the way he layered those marks is so intuitive. What a great sense of atmosphere. This study makes me feel like I'm part of a conversation that artists have been having for centuries. Looking at this, I feel inspired to pick up a pencil and join in.