Zittend vrouwelijk naakt, voorovergebogen 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of a seated female nude in a leaning position. It is made with delicate, very thin lines. Look at the economy of line! The artist seems to have worked fast to capture the figure’s essence. I imagine Israels moving his hand swiftly, tracing the contours of the body with confidence and fluidity. His mark-making is sure and expressive. I wonder about the model, posing, perhaps uncomfortably, in that position for the artist. The drawing feels intimate and immediate. I think of other drawings, like Matisse, or even Guston, where the artists capture a kind of everyday beauty in a very similar way. It's like they are all talking to each other, across time, through their work. And that to me is one of the most exciting things about painting – it’s an ongoing conversation. Each mark, each gesture, adds to the dialogue.