Studieblad met drie vrouwen c. 1915s - 1925s

Curator: This is Isaac Israels' "Studieblad met drie vrouwen," a study sheet depicting three women, dating from approximately 1915 to 1925 and currently held at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It feels so immediate, raw almost. The sketchy lines seem to capture a fleeting moment. There is so much frantic activity in each form! Curator: Precisely! As a study, it is insightful, particularly in its portrayal of women during this period, viewed through Israels's lens and the art world in its power dynamics. This drawing, and others like it, reveal not just Israels' skill, but also something about how female subjects were perceived and rendered visible. The question of artistic vision always complicates the depiction of women. Editor: Absolutely. And considering it’s a sketch, it allows us a unique glimpse into the artistic process itself—the materials he’s using, pencil on paper, suggest accessibility, and his speed. There are several areas where he must have returned to the same form several times, building layer over layer, it shows an interest in honing. Curator: Think about the implied access Israels might have had to these women. Were they models? Friends? His social position surely played a role in his ability to create these images and shapes our understanding of their poses. Editor: Good point! Were the drawings produced as studies for paintings or were these sketches ends unto themselves? Perhaps they could have been made in a public space: documenting people at work or leisure—further connecting labor and representation. Curator: It certainly raises questions about labor – both artistic and perhaps the labor of those depicted. Also the socio-economics of sketchbooks and artworks more broadly. Who is it for, what narratives does it convey and perpetuate? Editor: Investigating the conditions of this sketch emphasizes how seemingly simple artwork can become a window into labour, class and identity, and power dynamics—materiality combined with insight! Curator: Indeed! Art compels us to ask pertinent questions, even in preliminary sketches! Editor: Exactly; seeing the work of creation alongside what it tells us about who is visible!