Meisjes met hoeden 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this pencil drawing called 'Girls with Hats' sometime around the late 19th or early 20th century. It looks like a spontaneous sketch, a fleeting impression jotted down in the moment. Israels captures the essence of his subjects with a wonderfully spare and economical line. The marks are light and airy, almost weightless, allowing us to fill in the blanks and imagine the scene for ourselves. I can almost feel the quickness of his hand as he moved across the page, capturing the subtle tilt of a head, the curve of a brim. You know, it reminds me a bit of Manet, in that both artists were interested in capturing modern life and the fleeting moments of everyday experience. But where Manet is more polished, Israels is raw and immediate. It's like we're getting a glimpse into the artist's sketchbook, a private moment of observation. It’s a reminder that art isn’t always about perfection, but about capturing a feeling, an idea, a moment in time.