Zittend naakt meisje, op de rug gezien 1834 - 1911

This is a pencil drawing by Jozef Israëls. The artist has deftly captured the model's posture with a few simple lines. Pencil on paper is a classic combination, used for centuries for sketching and preliminary studies. Yet, the apparent simplicity of this drawing belies the skill and practice required to achieve such an economy of line. Israëls demonstrates his mastery of this medium in the way he suggests form and volume with minimal shading. The strokes vary in pressure, creating a sense of depth and contour. This drawing speaks to the tradition of academic training, where life drawing was a fundamental exercise. Israëls’s work shows how the artist engaged with this discipline to develop his eye and hand, using readily available materials to create something beautiful and enduring. It reminds us that even the most basic materials can be transformed into art through skill and vision.