Isadora Duncan c. 1930s

This is Abraham Walkowitz’s watercolor of Isadora Duncan, made in 1958, and it's so light it's like a ghost. The washes of blue and beige are quickly brushed, a minimal backdrop for the figure outlined in ink. It’s like he was trying to catch her in motion, mid-dance. I can imagine Walkowitz, charcoal in hand, watching Duncan, trying to capture her essence with each stroke. The color is thin, barely there, as if he wanted to suggest rather than define her. It must have been so exciting for him to paint her, and want to capture that ephemeral energy, knowing that this was never going to be a perfect likeness. It’s more of a feeling. This drawing makes me think of other artists who were inspired by dance like Degas and Matisse. It's like artists are always in conversation with one another, across time, inspiring each other’s creativity. Painting and drawing are forms of expression, an ongoing exploration and exchange of ideas, embracing ambiguity and uncertainty.