Drie staande figuren 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this sketch, "Drie staande figuren", with pencil on paper. We see here a quickly rendered study of figures, seemingly observed in passing. Israels was a key figure in the Amsterdam Impressionism movement in the Netherlands, and this sketch gives us insight into the social conditions that shaped his artistic production. Amsterdam Impressionism was influenced by French Impressionism and focused on capturing the fleeting moments of everyday life, especially urban life. Israels, like his contemporaries, was interested in depicting modern life and often focused on scenes of ordinary people, such as workers and the urban poor. Art history here plays an important role, because understanding the institutional and cultural context of Dutch art at the turn of the 20th century, along with resources such as letters, exhibition reviews, and other writings from the period, helps us to appreciate the development and nuances of this artistic movement. We can better understand the artist’s choices and intentions, while we appreciate his place in art history.