Schetsboek XXX met 32 bladen 1875 - 1934

This little sketchbook with 32 sheets was made by Isaac Israels, we don't know exactly when, but it's part of the collection at the Rijksmuseum. What strikes me is the texture of the cover, like a well-worn path, aged by use and time. The blue markings look like a note the artist made to themselves. I can almost feel the weight of it in my hands, the slightly rough surface under my fingers. Imagine Israels, notebook in hand, quickly jotting down ideas, a fleeting moment captured in a few lines, perhaps in a cafe or on a train? That sense of immediacy is what I love, it's not about perfection, but about the raw energy of creation. It reminds me of artists like Cy Twombly, who embraced the sketch and the scrawl as a way of thinking through images. It's a reminder that art is not just about the final product, it's about the process, the journey, and the endless possibilities that lie within the blank page.