Moeder met kind 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing, Moeder met kind, with black chalk, at an unknown date. I really love how he leaves some areas unfinished, like the child’s robe and the mother’s face. You can sense his hand moving quickly, trying to capture a fleeting moment. The marks are so raw and immediate, it's like he's thinking aloud with the chalk, figuring out the forms as he goes. I'm super drawn to the mother's shadow, which becomes almost like another figure entirely. Maybe she was thinking about something else, just for a moment, and Israels has noticed and captured that subtle change of affect. I think of other artists who explore this subject. Käthe Kollwitz comes to mind, with her raw and emotional depictions of motherhood. It’s a reminder that art is all about having a conversation across time, and we are all just trying to figure things out together.