Vrouw met hond aan een Amsterdamse gracht c. 1886 - 1934

Isaac Israels sketched 'Vrouw met hond aan een Amsterdamse gracht’ with graphite on paper, and what strikes me is its sense of immediacy. I can almost feel the artist quickly capturing a fleeting moment. Look at how he’s built up the scene with these layers of energetic lines, almost like he’s thinking through the image right there on the page. I bet Israels felt the pressure of time, wanting to freeze that instant of the woman, the dog, and the canal in one go. It’s like a snapshot, but made with charcoal, not a lens! The sketch reminds me of other impressionist artists who chased after modern life, like Edgar Degas. You know, it’s like they're all trying to capture the world as it whizzes by, but with their own unique scribbles.