Hoofd van een dienstmeid met muts 1875 - 1934

Curator: It strikes me as melancholy, somehow – despite being such a simple sketch. What do you think? Editor: Well, let's start with the basics. This is "Hoofd van een dienstmeid met muts," or "Head of a Maid with a Cap," by Isaac Israels. Though undated, it likely hails from between 1875 and 1934. It's a pencil drawing, currently residing here at the Rijksmuseum. Curator: The angle is so intimate, almost like you're catching a glimpse of someone lost in their thoughts. There's a fleeting quality, and the hat seems enormous compared to the facial expression. I can only speculate, but this portrait makes me want to offer them something to eat! It would almost break the scene of them sitting. Editor: Indeed, the sketchy, almost impressionistic, application of the pencil certainly contributes to that fleeting feeling. Note the economical use of line, defining form with just a few confident strokes. And consider how the artist is exploring texture; see the stark contrast between the plain cap, the hatched area on the cheek and forehead, and then the intricate ruffles. It feels both intimate and deeply observational. It certainly has some features in common with similar work, yet there's always something fresh, wouldn't you agree? Curator: Fresh indeed, it carries that direct, unfiltered feel, like a candid photograph snapped before the subject could pose or become conscious of the photograph! Perhaps it says more about Israels' perception of transient beauty than anything else... It's not an easy kind of art to define or describe. But there it is. Editor: Perhaps the intersection of Realism and Impressionism. He’s presenting her plainly but, at the same time, filtering her presence and character through the mood and technique of his art. Overall, for all of his experience with these genres of painting, it represents a new and original development. Curator: All I know is that looking at this, I feel I understand something unspoken about life and time. The mood is wonderful. It’s the simple things, after all. Editor: A poignant note on which to conclude; thanks for your always refreshing views on the canon.