Staande vrouw, in profiel 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing, "Standing Woman, in Profile", with what looks like graphite on paper. It’s so fresh and direct, you can feel his hand moving, trying to find the figure with just a few lines. I love the economy of it, how little is needed to suggest the presence of this woman. See how the lines describing her dress flare out, then taper to a point at the bottom— that single, bold stroke captures the weight and fall of the fabric. It’s as if Israels is thinking through the process of art making itself. There's something so modern in the way the figure is barely there, just a ghost of a form. It reminds me a little of Degas and his sketches of dancers, but with a kind of off-the-cuff energy that feels totally unique. It’s a reminder that art can be both serious and playful, finished and unfinished, all at the same time.