Mannenhoofden c. 1886 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of men's heads with pencil on paper, and it lives here at the Rijksmuseum. The sketchiness of this work is really appealing. Israels isn't precious with his marks; it's all about the process of looking and recording. There's a real physicality to the smudged graphite, the way it sits on the page, capturing the light and shadow on these faces. See how some areas are densely worked, almost like charcoal, while others are barely there, just a whisper of a line? Look at the face on the right - it's so economical, just a few lines to suggest the planes of the face, the set of the jaw. Israels reminds me of Daumier, in that he's not afraid to leave things unresolved, to embrace the messiness of life. It's like he's saying, "Here's what I saw, take it or leave it." And that's what makes it so compelling. Art as an ongoing conversation, with room for everyone to jump in and add their voice.