Vrouw met hoed, in profiel c. 1915s - 1925s

Isaac Israels made this sketch of a woman with a hat using graphite on paper. This is a quick study, a method to capture fleeting moments and impressions. The marks on the page, rapid and almost scribbled, reveal the artist's engagement with the subject. You can see the texture of the graphite as it drags across the paper, creating darker and lighter areas that give volume to the figure's face and hat. Israels would have relied on his skill in hand-eye coordination, years of practice, and the ability to make quick decisions about line, tone and composition. Sketching is a practice with a long history, traditionally associated with the preparation of grander works. However, Israels elevates the sketch to a form of art in itself, capturing a sense of immediacy and life that a more finished painting might lack. It reminds us that even the simplest of materials, used with skill and intention, can convey profound artistic vision.