Man 1875 - 1934

This drawing of a man was made by Isaac Israels sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. It's a kind of off the cuff piece of work in pencil on paper, where you feel the artist is trying to capture the essence of his subject. The quick, almost scribbled lines that form the man's face and clothing speak to the immediacy of the moment, as if Israels was trying to capture a fleeting impression. There’s a raw quality to the work, a sense of the artist thinking through the image. I’m drawn to the way he's handled the figure's hands, which seem to be clasped together. The lines are a little more defined here, as if the hands are a focal point. Israels reminds me of Daumier, another artist who was fascinated by the human condition and who used drawing to explore the nuances of everyday life. Like Daumier, Israels seems to be saying that art doesn't always have to be polished or perfect. Sometimes, it's the rough edges that make it real.