Abklatsch van de krijttekening op blad 25 verso 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing, Abklatsch van de krijttekening op blad 25 verso, at an unknown date with a crayon on paper. It’s like a ghost image, the faintest trace of a drawing transferred from another page, a beautiful accident. Look at how the crayon barely kisses the paper, leaving a trail of fragmented lines and smudges. The texture is so delicate, it’s almost like a whisper. I find myself wondering about the pressure of Israels’ hand, the way he allowed the medium to lead him. See that cluster of darker marks near the bottom? It’s like a concentrated burst of energy, a small explosion contained within the larger, ethereal form. This piece reminds me of Cy Twombly’s scribbled drawings, or maybe even some of Agnes Martin’s more ephemeral works. It’s art as pure process, a celebration of the accidental and the incomplete.