Abklatsch van de krijttekening op blad 7 recto 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this offset of a chalk drawing on sheet 7 recto using chalk on paper. The term "Abklatsch" refers to a printing technique, where a drawing is transferred from one surface to another, capturing a mirror image of the original. In this case, it's a chalk drawing transferred onto paper. The material of chalk lends itself to soft, textured marks, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere. This offset retains a ghostly quality, a trace of the initial artistic gesture. Israels was working at a time when artists were highly attuned to the reproductive capabilities of print. The Abklatsch process itself invites questions about originality, authenticity, and the aura of the art object. It's about taking something immediate and turning it into something reproducible. Ultimately, this work blurs the boundaries between drawing and printmaking, inviting us to consider the value of process and the many lives an image can have.