Straatgezicht te Parijs 1887 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this sketch of a Paris street view with pencil on paper. The subject matter, a Paris street, already gives us a clue that this artwork may have something to say about the social structures of the time. In the late 19th and early 20th century, Paris was at the forefront of social and political change, and artists like Israels were keen to capture this spirit of modernity in their work. Through his choice of subject matter and his spontaneous, impressionistic style, Israels seems to be aligning himself with a progressive, forward-thinking artistic sensibility. Israels shows us the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and the sketch seems to embrace the energy and dynamism of the modern city. By studying the institutions, social structures, and cultural values of the time, we can gain a deeper understanding of what this artwork meant to Israels and his contemporaries, and what it can mean to us today.