Vrouwen 1887 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing, Vrouwen, with a kind of restless energy, as if he’s trying to capture something fleeting. It’s all about process, the way the charcoal moves across the page, creating these figures out of thin air. Looking at the texture, you can almost feel the scratch of the charcoal, the way it catches on the paper. The lines are so alive, so full of movement. Notice how the lines around the figures' heads are darker and more scribbled, giving them weight and presence, while the rest of the bodies are just suggested. It's like he's saying, "Here, look at this, but don't look too closely." Israels reminds me a bit of Degas, especially in his fascination with capturing everyday life, the informal moments. But where Degas is all about precision, Israels is looser, more spontaneous. And that's what makes it so engaging, its openness, its willingness to embrace the unfinished, the uncertain.