Figuurstudies 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made these Figuurstudies with pencil on paper sometime between 1880 and 1934, and it’s now in the Rijksmuseum. I love how the paper peeks through, creating a dance between what's there and what isn't. The strokes here, they’re not precious or trying too hard. Each line feels like it's searching, finding form in the process of making. Look at the figure on the left – the way the pencil describes the fall of the fabric, it's all suggestion, not declaration. I enjoy the artist's use of space. These figures aren't crammed together; they exist in their own orbits, creating a sense of movement across the page. The lines feel raw, like a first thought, a quick sketch from life. It reminds me a little of Degas’ drawings, that same sense of capturing a fleeting moment, of studies towards something bigger. What I like best is that it leaves so much to the imagination, embracing the beauty of the unfinished, the indefinite.