Staande vrouw met kind 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of a standing woman with child with graphite on paper. It's so immediate, you can almost feel the artist sketching quickly, trying to capture the essence of the figures. There's a real sense of process here, with lines that feel tentative and searching. Look at the way the lines are built up around the child's head, a dense, almost scribbled area that contrasts with the sparser lines defining the woman's form. You can see how the artist is thinking through the drawing, adjusting and refining as he goes. It makes me think of other artists like Daumier, who were also interested in capturing fleeting moments of everyday life. It's in these kinds of sketches where you see the real bones of the creative process. It's a reminder that art is often about the journey, not just the destination.