Figuurstudies c. 1886 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this sketch of figure studies with pencil on paper. It’s so quick, almost like he’s just trying to catch something fleeting. Look at the way he uses line – thin, scratchy, and broken. It’s like he’s feeling his way around the forms, not trying to define them too precisely. The paper itself is part of the picture, its tone creating the negative space. There’s a real sense of process here, of the artist working things out as he goes along. I’m drawn to the little figure on the left, with its angular lines and blocky shape. It’s so simple, almost childlike, yet it has a real presence. This reminds me of Manet, but rougher, more immediate. It's like a visual shorthand, capturing the essence of a figure with the fewest possible marks. Art, right, it’s just one big conversation, and Israels is adding his voice to the mix. It’s loose and unresolved, but that’s part of its charm, and what makes it so interesting.