Hoofden met verschillende hoeden c. 1886 - 1934

This drawing, made by Isaac Israels, captures a flurry of heads adorned with various hats. The graphite marks are quick and light, almost like fleeting thoughts sketched onto paper. I can imagine Israels in a bustling café, observing the passersby, trying to catch their essence with just a few strokes. Each line feels tentative, searching for the right form, the right gesture. There’s a real sense of immediacy here, as if the artist is trying to keep up with the ever-changing scene before him. It reminds me of sketches by Daumier or Toulouse-Lautrec, artists who were also fascinated by the energy of modern life. It’s like they’re all having a conversation across time, exploring different ways of capturing the world around them, and letting go of the need to capture every detail. In this way, Israels invites us to embrace ambiguity and find beauty in the unfinished.