Twee staande vrouwen c. 1915s - 1925s

Isaac Israels made this drawing of two women, probably in the late 19th or early 20th century, with what looks like pencil on paper. The lines are quick, almost nervous, aren't they? I can picture him, sketching in a cafe or on the street, trying to catch a sense of movement. The marks are sparse but somehow manage to convey form and weight, you know? Like he's trying to say something with as little as possible. I'm imagining him thinking about Degas, who was also obsessed with capturing modern life and movement, but Israels has his own way of doing it, more gestural, maybe even a little bit raw. It feels unfinished, but in a good way, like a thought that's still forming. For me, a sketch like this is an invitation—to fill in the blanks, to imagine the women's lives, their stories.