Twee acrobaten op een fiets 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing, Twee acrobaten op een fiets, using graphite on paper. The quick, gestural marks, especially in the background, tell me that Israels was interested in the process of drawing, how lines can construct form and space. Look at how he captures the movement and balance of the acrobats with simple, almost scribbled lines. You can almost feel the energy of the performance. The way the lines vary in pressure and direction gives the drawing a sense of depth and texture, even though it’s just graphite on paper. The repeated strokes used to create the dark shadows beneath the figures give weight to the image. The choice to leave parts of the paper untouched creates a striking contrast. Israels was interested in modern life, and capturing fleeting moments, a bit like Degas who also used similar rapid marks in his drawings of dancers. Both of them remind us that art doesn't always have to be about perfect representation, it can also be about capturing a feeling.