Kaartende heren in café 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels captured these card-playing gentlemen in a cafe using watercolor, a medium known for its fluidity. I imagine Israels, rapidly applying washes of color to paper, building up the composition through layers of transparent hues. The men are cloaked in a gentle gloominess. There's a sense of anticipation as they consider their hands, their faces partially obscured by shadow. The artist might have been thinking about those moments of quiet intensity and social exchange that occur in public spaces. The quick strokes that define their features and clothing remind me a bit of Manet and the Impressionists, who were also interested in capturing fleeting moments of modern life. Israels, like them, uses paint to convey atmosphere and emotion, leaving the viewer to fill in the details. These men are connected not only by the game they are playing, but through the artist's eye, a record of a moment in time.