Staande vrouw met verenwaaier, in profiel c. 1886 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of a standing woman with a fan, sometime in his life, probably with a pencil. You can see the whole thing in one go, like a quick thought. It's all about the line here, isn't it? Loose and searching. Look at the dress, how it kind of tumbles down the page with these simple hatching marks. There's a real sense of movement, of capturing a fleeting moment. You can imagine Israels just sketching away, trying to catch the essence of this woman. And the fan! It’s barely there, just a few scribbles, but it totally works. It's like he's saying, "I don't need to spell everything out for you, you get the idea." There's a confidence in that, in knowing when to stop. Reminds me a little of Degas, but with its own breezy energy. It's a reminder that art isn't about perfection, but about process, about the joy of seeing and recording.