Brug over de Herengracht te Amsterdam, ter hoogte van de Gasthuismolensteeg c. 1886 - 1934

This is Isaac Israels’ sketch of a bridge over the Herengracht in Amsterdam. It's a whirlwind of charcoal on paper, a real study in capturing a place through feeling. Israels isn't trying to give us a perfect picture, instead, he's feeling his way through the scene. Look at the way he’s built up the shadows, layers and layers of charcoal, like he's trying to catch the light as it flickers on the water. There's this one spot, right in the middle of the building, where he's left a tiny burst of light. It's like a little spark, drawing you in. It reminds me a bit of Whistler, actually, in that sense of atmosphere. You can see that art is an ongoing conversation, each artist riffing off the last, trying to find their own way to express the world.