Gezicht van een vrouw c. 1915s - 1925s

Here is a quick sketch of a woman’s face by Isaac Israels, now at the Rijksmuseum. Isn’t it amazing how quickly a portrait can come into being, a few marks, a gesture, and then there she is. I can imagine Israels quickly sketching, trying to capture a likeness, trying to understand her essential qualities. There's a kind of vulnerability in the openness of the sketch, the lack of detail almost allows you to impose your own feelings onto the face. I like the way the eyes are deeply shaded, giving them weight. There is a long line running along the upper right, it could be a strand of hair. Sketching like this feels like a form of thinking, a way to work through ideas and emotions. And that’s what art is, isn’t it? We are all in this together, sketching away, trying to see the world and each other.