Hoofd van een koffiepikster c. 1886 - 1934

Here's Isaac Israels' "Head of a Coffee Picker," done with what looks like graphite, maybe some crayon. You can see it's all about process, the artist kind of feeling around for the image, letting it emerge rather than imposing it. Look at the surface – it's got this ghostly quality, right? Like a memory or a dream. The colors are so muted, almost like a watercolor wash, giving this sense of transience. The marks around the figure aren't really about defining space, but about building atmosphere, like he's pulling the figure out of a fog. That single, dark line coming from her face—is it a tear? A thread? It gives the piece a real emotional punch. Israels' reminds me a bit of Degas, that same kind of fleeting, informal composition. But Israels, with his softer touch, lets the ambiguity linger, inviting us to bring our own stories to the table. It’s a beautiful reminder that art isn’t about answers, but about asking questions.