Halffiguur van Jozef Israels (1824-1911), schilder c. 1887 - 1937

This is a bronze sculpture of Jozef Israels, the painter, by Toon Dupuis. It's one of those portraits that feels like a real presence, almost like Israels is sitting right here with us. The bronze is worked so carefully. Dupuis has created a real sense of weight and volume, hasn't he? Look at the way the light catches the folds of his jacket, or the deep lines etched into his face. You can almost feel the texture of the metal, the coolness of it. I'm drawn to the artist's hand holding a paintbrush. I love that Dupuis has used it to emphasize the creative action, and how he transforms a solid material into something that seems alive. It reminds me a little of Rodin, that same interest in capturing not just a likeness, but a sense of inner life. Art, you know, it's not just about what we see, but how we feel, what we imagine. It’s an ongoing conversation across time.