Portret van een onbekende man c. 1915s - 1925s

"Portret van een onbekende man" is a pencil sketch by Isaac Israels, a prominent Dutch painter. Created sometime between the 1910s and 1920s, the sketch captures the essence of a seated man, focusing on his head and shoulders. The quick, expressive lines of the drawing suggest a dynamic moment in time, perhaps a pause in a conversation or a fleeting observation. This work, housed at the Rijksmuseum, demonstrates Israels' ability to capture human subjects with both immediacy and sensitivity. The work exemplifies the artist's use of sketch, a tool for exploration and capturing the fleeting moments of everyday life, in his artistic process.