Standing Female Nude 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing, Standing Female Nude, sometime between 1880 and 1934, in the Netherlands, presumably using pencil on paper. It’s all about the process, isn’t it? There's a real sense of immediacy in the sketch, the way he’s captured the essence of the figure with these quick, confident lines. Look at the legs, for example, so simply rendered, but they totally work. The texture of the paper even seems to contribute to the sense of movement, like the figure is emerging from the ground. It reminds me a little of Degas' drawings of dancers – that same interest in capturing the body in motion, but with an added dose of raw energy. Like a visual record of Israels thinking, as he works. It’s about a feeling, more than a photographic likeness. And that’s what makes it so compelling.