Abklatsch van de krijttekening op blad 10 verso c. 1886 - 1934

This chalk drawing was made by Isaac Israels and is currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. Chalk is a humble material, easily powdered and smudged. Its inherent fragility lends itself to sketches, studies, and preparatory works. In this drawing, we see the ghost of an image, light and ethereal, which feels appropriate for a medium associated with impermanence. Israels took a wet chalk drawing and pressed another sheet of paper onto it, creating a ‘rubbing’, and resulting in this delicate ‘Abklatsch’. The work involves little labor, and would not have been considered a finished artwork. Yet, the beauty of this method lies in its directness and immediacy, perfectly suited to capturing fleeting moments and impressions. Israels challenges traditional notions of value and craftsmanship by elevating a simple, almost accidental, process into a work of art. This prompts us to reconsider what constitutes art and its value, urging us to appreciate the beauty of the ephemeral, and the potential inherent in everyday materials and processes.