Sleeping woman 1920

Isaac Israels painted this “Sleeping Woman” with oil on canvas, and it's dreamy, isn't it? It feels immediate and process-driven, like Israels was chasing a feeling. Look at how the thick paint clumps and drags across the surface! It's not about being precise; it's about capturing a mood. The woman’s dark skirt is a mass of gestural marks, almost obscuring the details, yet somehow, it all comes together. And that small, economical dab of red for her lips – so simple, yet so effective in bringing her to life. You can almost feel the weight of her body sinking into the cushion. Israels reminds me a little of Manet, the way he balances observation and painterly freedom. Both understood that art isn't about perfect representation, but about the messy, beautiful act of seeing and feeling.