Staande vrouw met uitgestoken handen, in profiel 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of a standing woman with outstretched arms sometime during his lifetime with graphite on paper. There's something so immediate and satisfying about quick, confident lines like these, isn't there? I imagine Israels working rapidly, trying to capture the essence of this woman in a few strokes. The figure is spare, almost ghostly. Those outstretched hands – what's she reaching for? Or is she letting go? The ambiguity is compelling. I love the way Israels suggests form with so little information. Look at how he uses line to indicate the curve of her body, the set of her shoulders. For me, a work like this is about a single gesture, a singular act of translation of seeing into drawing. This kind of drawing inspires me to be brave, to trust my instincts, and to embrace the power of simplicity. It shows that less really can be more.