Staande vrouw met hoed, in profiel 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made "Standing Woman with Hat, in Profile" with a pencil on paper. Look at this woman emerging out of almost nothing, with Israels sketching out a figure with confident strokes. I imagine Israels quickly capturing a fleeting moment, a woman in profile, perhaps in a café or on the street. Those swift lines communicate so much with so little! I feel his hand moving, almost dancing, trying to keep up with what his eye is seeing. See how Israels uses darker, denser marks to suggest shadows and volume? The hat is just a scribble, but it conveys so much about her style and personality. It's like he's not just drawing what he sees, but also what he feels, about her. Artists like Degas come to mind, with their quick, observational drawings. It’s an ongoing conversation, this process of seeing and responding. I love how painting can be this embodied expression, embracing uncertainty. It’s about feeling as much as seeing, and allowing for multiple interpretations rather than fixed readings.