Staande jonge vrouw 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of a standing young woman using what looks like charcoal on paper. Immediately, the mark-making grabs me – it’s all about the energy of the hand, isn't it? Looking closer, it's like he’s wrestling with the form, trying to pin it down with these quick, searching lines. See how the charcoal almost vibrates on the page? It's not about perfection, but about capturing a fleeting moment, a feeling. Then there's the way he uses light and shadow, smudging and layering to create depth. The texture is almost velvety in places, rough in others. The face is so evocative. This reminds me of work by Käthe Kollwitz. Both artists are interested in the expressive power of drawing, using line and tone to convey emotion and capture the human spirit. Art's about finding your own voice, your own way of seeing, and then sharing that with the world.