Figuren rond een piano c. 1915s - 1925s

Isaac Israels made this sketch, Figuren rond een piano, with pencil on paper. It’s a flurry of marks and glancing blows, like a shorthand note taken at a party. I can imagine Israels in a crowded room, trying to capture a fleeting moment. The piano player’s hands, the faces of the onlookers, all suggested with a few quick strokes. I wonder what kind of music they were playing? Were people singing? You know, sometimes I feel like that when I’m painting, trying to grab hold of something that’s just out of reach. It’s all about feeling and movement, and that's what comes across here. It’s not about perfect representation, it’s about capturing the energy of the moment, the feeling in the room. It makes me think about how we, as artists, are always trying to communicate something beyond words.