Staande vrouw, op de rug gezien 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing, Staande vrouw, op de rug gezien, with a pencil on paper. Just look at how Israels fearlessly allows his lines to find the form, rather than dictate it. The marks are tentative, searching, yet confident in their expressive potential. It's like he's thinking through the pencil, using it as a direct extension of his thought process. I’m drawn to the way the weight of the figure is suggested through a few simple strokes. See how the density of marks around her back and shoulders creates a sense of volume, contrasting with the lighter, more gestural lines defining her skirt? The slight tilt of her head, the way the lines seem to droop ever so slightly, convey a sense of introspective solitude. You can see something of this same open approach in Manet’s sketches, there’s a similar interest in capturing the fleeting nature of observation. The lack of resolution isn’t a deficiency, but rather an invitation for us to participate in the act of seeing, and maybe even feeling.