Staande vrouw, op de rug gezien 1875 - 1934

Curator: So here we have "Staande vrouw, op de rug gezien" or "Standing Woman, Seen From The Back", a drawing by Isaac Israels that’s here at the Rijksmuseum. It’s believed to have been made sometime between 1875 and 1934. Editor: Immediately, I'm drawn to the tentative nature of the lines. It’s almost a whisper of a figure, very fleeting. Curator: Precisely! It’s pure Impressionism—that fleeting moment. You can almost feel Israels experimenting, capturing a fleeting image. I see such vulnerability in the back, like the moment after shedding a cloak of everyday duties. The sketch hints at all the life she has within. Editor: It's all line work, with no shading—revealing an interesting contrast between spontaneity and careful construction. One thinks immediately of process—the choices, paper, the pencil—of something fundamentally reproducible turned unique through the action of the artist’s hand. Curator: You are correct in saying so! There is a lot of intentionality with each choice of medium! For me it sparks thoughts about his intentions behind not elaborating this work, I feel like Israels really invites us to enter her quiet space. Editor: And what kind of quiet space would that be? For me, what's compelling about this piece as opposed to something more fully realised is how accessible the technique is here. Pencil on paper—it invites you to think of this art form, a simple sketch, within the context of social making and consumption and to wonder about other labour at play. What's the artist being paid for this? Curator: That's certainly a valuable way to look at it, framing the process. However, when I see that initial sketch, it unlocks my ability to contemplate that first spark of divine madness... Where do these forms take you, when you encounter them? Editor: It reminds me how often art is about choices around what to make public versus private, finished or unfinished. Curator: Yes, isn't that intriguing? It’s a dance between showing and concealing, and the tension is delicious. Thank you!