Vrouw op een balkon, in profiel 1887 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this sketch of a woman on a balcony with graphite on paper, during his time in Amsterdam. The immediacy of graphite allows for quick, expressive marks. You see its inherent qualities in the sketchiness of the lines, the smudged shading, and the varying pressure that brings the figure and architecture to life. The artist likely used a simple graphite stick or pencil to create this work, allowing for both broad strokes and fine details. The artist quickly captures a fleeting moment with the minimal of materials and gestures. The speed and ease of the medium are paramount to the sketch, which embodies a casual freedom that would be absent in a painting. Considering the material and the speed it allows, reveals the drawing as an intimate record of observation, where the artist’s hand and the subject are directly connected through the humble medium of graphite. The use of such a simple material underscores the artist's skill in capturing form and light with minimal means.