Dienstmeid, in profiel c. 1886 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this charcoal sketch of a maid in profile, and what strikes me is how economical his lines are. It feels like he’s thinking on the page, figuring out the volume of her body, the way her dress folds. It’s all process. You can almost feel the charcoal dragging across the paper, leaving these powdery marks that define her shape. Look at the way he’s suggested the pattern on her dress – just a scattering of dots, but they give you everything you need. And notice those stray lines around her feet, they don't quite describe anything specific, but they add a sense of space, of a world existing beyond her. This piece reminds me of some of Degas’ sketches, that same interest in capturing a fleeting moment, a sense of intimacy and everyday life. But Israels brings his own sensibility, a lightness of touch, and reminds us that art is just as much about the questions you ask as the answers you find.