Figuurstudie 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing called "Figuurstudie" with pencil on paper and its here at the Rijksmuseum, though it doesn’t have a date. The smudgy, soft graphite is like a whisper; the marks feel more like an idea than a description. The texture of the paper peeks through, reminding us of the simple materials that can capture something so fleeting. Look at how the lines around the face are confident and sure, but then fade out into this hazy nothingness, especially towards the right. It’s as if the figure is emerging from a dream, or maybe dissolving back into one. This way of making lets us fill in the blanks, to imagine our own narratives. Reminds me of Manet, in a way, who also wasn't afraid to leave things unfinished. There’s a beauty in that openness, in letting the viewer become part of the process. It’s more a conversation than a lecture, you know?