Portret van Nehemia de Lieme c. 1925s

Isaac Israels sketched this portrait of Nehemia de Lieme in graphite on paper. The image seems casual, as though captured spontaneously, but the context of its creation is more complex than that. Israels was a member of the Amsterdam Impressionism movement that captured everyday life. These artists often aimed to represent modern life in a way that exposed the structures of power that shaped it. But the Rijksmuseum’s record of ownership of this sketch also speaks to the complicated history of art institutions. Originally owned by De Lieme himself, it passed through various hands, including those of an art dealer, before entering the museum's collection. The sketch has become an artwork, but it remains a document of social relations. Looking closely at the provenance of artworks reveals the social networks and economic forces that shape our understanding and appreciation of art. These histories are preserved in archival sources and auction records.