Boom c. 1923 - 1934

Editor: Right, so this is “Boom,” a graphite drawing by Isaac Israels, created sometime between 1923 and 1934. It's housed here at the Rijksmuseum. It feels really... chaotic, almost violent, with all those frantic lines. What do you make of it? Curator: Chaotic is spot on! To me, it feels like raw energy captured on paper. Look at the density of those lines on the left—it's like a storm gathering force. But there's also this sense of…unfinished business, isn't there? Those looping lines on the right feel lighter, more searching. It makes me wonder, is this about destruction or creation, or both all jumbled together? Does that resonate with you? Editor: Absolutely! It’s interesting that you say ‘both’. At first I felt it was primarily a scene of great distress, but perhaps the light looping on the right is meant to symbolize optimism amongst such distress. I initially missed this and am excited about learning more! Curator: I wonder what was brewing in Israels' world at that time. You know, abstraction wasn’t really his go-to style – he was much more known for his depictions of everyday life, and street scenes. So for him to be creating something this abstract is particularly telling. Editor: So it's like he's using abstraction to express something that representational art couldn't quite capture? A specific strong feeling. Curator: Exactly! It's a visceral reaction, a gut feeling put down with graphite. Makes you want to know what triggered such intensity. So glad you picked up on that too. Editor: I never would have thought of it that way initially, but thinking of the work through the lens of it not being Israels' typical piece is very intriguing. I can really see your perspective. Curator: Wonderful! Next time, let's explore color!