Zittende Japanse vrouw met shamisen c. 1925s

This rapid sketch by Dutch artist Isaac Israels, created around the 1920s, depicts a Japanese woman seated and playing a shamisen. The drawing is a quick, gestural study, executed in loose, expressive lines. It captures the fleeting moment of the woman’s performance, emphasizing her dynamic pose and the instrument’s elongated form. This work exemplifies Israels' interest in capturing movement and the beauty of human form, characteristics of his artistic style. The sketch is held in the Rijksmuseum.