Staande mannen, op de rug gezien 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of standing men, seen from the back, at an unknown date, using what looks like charcoal. It's all about capturing a moment, a sense of fleeting observation. The way Israels uses charcoal here, it's like he's thinking on paper. You see the quick, almost nervous lines, some darker, some just barely there. It's immediate, like he's trying to grab the essence of these figures before they disappear. The texture of the charcoal is so present, giving the image a rough, unfinished feel, but that's where the energy comes from. Look at the way he renders the folds of the clothing, especially around the shoulders of the figure on the right; there is a real sense of weight and how the fabric drapes. It makes me think of Degas, how he would sketch dancers backstage, capturing their movements with a similar kind of raw honesty. Art's not always about perfection; sometimes, it's about the search.