Girl Playing the Piano c. 1900

Curator: This is Jozef Israëls’ “Girl Playing the Piano,” dating to around 1900. It’s currently held at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My first impression is of quiet intimacy. The restricted palette heightens the sense of delicate solitude—and what about that fantastic, barely there stippling in the skirt? Curator: It's quite captivating. Look at how Israëls captures light and form with just pencil lines. Notice how the diagonal hatching delineates depth within the skirt and walls. And of course the focal point remains the girl. Editor: The visible tool marks bring forward a consideration of Israëls's hand and the pressures exerted on the pencil; in its marks there are suggestions of Israëls’ own position in his studio. This direct relationship with labor allows one to consider both his skills and training. I notice the quick gestures used throughout to emphasize volume—I love his suggestion of shadow falling around the shape of her form. Curator: Indeed, consider how he employs negative space—it articulates shape. The sketchy nature underscores the immediacy of capturing a fleeting moment. And notice how her dress mirrors the shape of the piano—a fantastic moment. Editor: And those buttons that line her spine suggest the fashions of labor associated with music: an attention to detail meant for her performance, or her practice in playing the keys of that machine? There’s the precision and the purpose right in one work. Curator: Such acute observation. This piece perfectly shows the interplay of form and feeling—with just a simple sketch! It underscores how lines can convey profound beauty, and a delicate expression. Editor: Indeed, this piece made me think of art's intrinsic relationship to human action, both on stage and behind the curtain. It’s wonderful!