Vrouw op een ezel 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of a woman on a donkey using graphite on paper. The quick, loose strokes give the impression of movement and energy, like a snapshot of a fleeting moment. Look at how Israels uses line – it’s all about suggestion rather than precise detail. See that flurry of marks around the donkey's legs? They're not trying to describe every hair or muscle, but rather to convey the animal's vitality. The woman on the donkey is solid, confident, and the donkey next to her is just a hazy echo. It’s like Israels is showing us multiple moments in one go. This reminds me of other sketchbooks I’ve seen by artists like Degas, all about capturing a feeling rather than creating a perfect picture. It's like Israels is saying, "Here's what I saw, here's what I felt," and leaving it up to us to fill in the rest.