Figuurstudies c. 1886 - 1934

Isaac Israels made these Figure Studies with pencil, and you get the sense he was really thinking through his hand. The shapes seem to emerge and disappear, like trying to catch a memory as it fades. I can imagine Israels rapidly sketching, trying to pin down a fleeting moment or gesture. Maybe he was in a cafe, quickly capturing the people around him. What's interesting is how he suggests form with so few lines, leaving so much open to interpretation. It reminds me of other artists who embrace the unfinished, like Cy Twombly or even some of Giacometti's drawings, where the process feels as important as the final image. And of course Rodin! It’s like these artists are saying, "Here's a starting point; now let's imagine together." Painting and drawing is an ongoing conversation across time, and we get to listen in. It is a generous invitation, in the end, to think and imagine together.