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

Isaac Israels made this sketch, "Portret van een onbekende man", at an unknown date, using graphite on paper. Israels, born in Amsterdam, lived most of his life in The Hague, but frequently visited London. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, portraiture often served as a tool to reinforce societal hierarchies. Israels, however, was known for capturing fleeting moments, an approach apparent here in the raw and unfinished state of the drawing. The work invites us to consider the individual beyond the constraints of formal representation. The quick strokes seem less about capturing likeness and more about hinting at something about the subject’s character. There is an intimacy in this sketch, which has the quality of a private study. It's a glimpse into a moment, a reverie, inviting us to consider the identities and stories, known and unknown, that shape our shared history.