Abklatsch van de krijttekening op blad 21 verso 1875 - 1934

Curator: Looking at this small, almost ghostly work, I'm immediately drawn to its quietness. It's barely there, like a half-formed memory. Editor: Exactly! This pencil drawing by Isaac Israels, dating from between 1875 and 1934, is titled "Abklatsch van de krijttekening op blad 21 verso"— a rubbing of a chalk drawing found on page 21 of a sketchbook. What do you make of the figures depicted here? Curator: Well, to me, they feel like impressions more than depictions, these two figures. Are they sleeping? Resting? They seem utterly unburdened. Almost… ethereally floating in the white space. The darker, smudged one is interesting too. He almost wanted to render a form from his memories using just a very hard chalk. Editor: The sketchbook context is really important here. These are preliminary ideas. See how the poses differ—it's like Israels is testing various iterations of a figure. Note the economy of line. Do these poses conjure any associations or archetypes? Curator: They definitely speak to the timeless image of repose, of figures at peace with themselves. The lower figure feels more resolved somehow, and confident in it's own rendering.. like an earlier draft versus something more certain. What kind of personal narrative you find in a quick and casual sketch from an Artist's workbook! It really sparks the creative drive! Editor: Agreed. And this act of rubbing or transferring amplifies the distance. It introduces a layer of removal. It is an echo of an idea. Think of the cultural symbolism around sleep, rest, but also loss—these figures feel like they're on the border of consciousness. They bring to mind the fragility of existence—that delicate line between being and nothingness, perhaps. Curator: That resonates deeply. Looking at it again, it's as if Israels captured something fleeting – the in-between moments. These almost transparent strokes tell stories without committing to every last detail. The incomplete aspects amplify its profound, tender quality for sure. It speaks about ideas in art. What ideas mean, how we play with them before even settling down! Editor: Beautifully said. For me, the ghostly quality speaks to the cyclical nature of creation—how ideas emerge, fade, and transform over time. Thank you, It's a wonderful point of departure. Curator: Definitely something worth pondering, no? Thanks.