Figuur, ten halven lijve c. 1925s

Isaac Israels made this sketchy drawing, Figuur, ten halven lijve, with pencil on paper. What strikes me is the economy of line, like a jazz solo, where every note counts, but it’s the space *between* the notes that really sings. Look at how the shading around the eyes isn't about perfect representation; it's about capturing a mood, an impression. There’s something so vulnerable about the hatch marks creating the shadowed side of his face. It’s like the artist is saying, "Here’s a person, not a perfect image, but a feeling." This drawing reminds me of some of Degas' quick sketches, where the figure emerges from a flurry of lines. Like Degas, Israels seems more interested in the act of seeing than in the final product. It’s about the *process* of looking, not just what is looked at. It’s a conversation, an ongoing exploration, and a reminder that art is about asking questions, not just answering them.