Jan Hofker, bij het trouwen van Willem Witsen en Betty van Vloten 1875 - 1934

This is Isaac Israels’ charcoal drawing of Jan Hofker at the wedding of Willem Witsen and Betty van Vloten. Look at how Israels is using the charcoal, it’s all about the process, the smudging and the rubbing. You can see the give and take, the adding and subtracting. The materiality of the piece is key, that rough paper texture coming through the charcoal marks. Notice how he uses these bold, dark marks to give weight and depth to the sitter's clothing, while the details of Hofker’s face are rendered with a lighter, more delicate touch. Look at how these expressive lines articulate a sense of the sitter's presence. The ships in the background are just suggestions, almost like a dream or a memory. There’s something here that connects him to artists like Manet and Degas, a real interest in depicting modern life, with a loose, sketchy feel. It’s a reminder that art is always a conversation, a way of seeing and thinking that evolves over time. It’s never fixed, and always open to interpretation.