Vrouw met een hand in haar zij c. 1890 - 1920

This sketch, made by Isaac Israels, probably with charcoal, has a real sense of immediacy. The marks are so direct, not fussy at all. It's like he's thinking through the drawing, right there on the page. I love the way he's built up the shadows around the figure's face and chest. There's this patch of scribbled lines near her shoulder, almost like he's testing the tone of the charcoal. It makes me feel like I'm right there with him, watching the drawing come to life. You can feel the pressure of the charcoal on the paper, the way it catches the tooth of the surface. It's so simple, but so expressive. It reminds me a bit of some of Degas' drawings, especially the way he captures movement and gesture. But Israels has his own thing going on, a real sense of intimacy and connection with his subject. It's a reminder that drawing is all about seeing and feeling, not just representing.