Abklatsch van de krijttekening op blad 20 recto 1875 - 1934

Curator: I find something quietly powerful in this preliminary sketch from Isaac Israels, tentatively titled "Abklatsch van de krijttekening op blad 20 recto", created sometime between 1875 and 1934. The figure just barely emerges from the paper... Editor: My first impression is a whisper. A memory of form, barely there. She seems suspended, almost weightless, with the faintest pressure of pencil. Curator: Indeed. Look how Israels captures the light using the most economical of marks, suggesting the model’s pose with so few lines. There's a sensitivity to his portrayal here, a feeling of private contemplation. It strikes me how even this seemingly unfinished fragment holds its own. These studies are just as important, aren't they? We would understand later paintings only if we recognize it. Editor: Absolutely. What draws me in is how the sketch invites you into the process. We’re seeing Israels' thought process. You glimpse at her shoulder, down the length of the figure – the ephemeral, hesitant touch. The faint erasure marks only deepen this sense of intimacy, almost like an unseen dance. The sitter and painter coexisting in some moment we intrude. Curator: The sketch, held here at the Rijksmuseum, gains further context when you realize the socio-political milieu in which these were drafted, particularly Israels’ interest in depicting modern woman in Paris. As Israels sought new means to show the modern world in front of him. I can’t but wonder about who this might be. Editor: Agreed. Was this someone he knew? Was this pose specific to some other artistic idea? Those questions only endear me even more. But I really love how seemingly minor this drawing feels...It allows the viewer to have a much bigger reaction than warranted! Curator: Perhaps that's the true power of these intimate encounters. It speaks to his working methods. And allows us, the public, into those sacred creative decisions that produced what some call "genius". Editor: Exactly. A rare opportunity to participate in the origin, if only for a fleeting moment. I now notice details, and the initial ghostly shape begins to coalesce. Wonderful.