Studie, mogelijk een vrouw in een mantel 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this sketch, possibly of a woman in a coat, with graphite on paper. Look at that hesitant, almost scribbled line quality! I can imagine Israels trying to quickly capture a fleeting impression, a figure passing by. It's like he's thinking through the drawing, each line a question, an adjustment. How does he capture the essence of this person with such minimal means? What does it mean to represent a figure with just a few marks? This sketch reminds me that drawing is an ongoing conversation, a process of trial and error. It's about embracing ambiguity and uncertainty, which is also what painting is, right? The artist, us viewers, everyone, is in an ongoing exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity.