Staande vrouw, in profiel 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels sketched "Standing Woman, in Profile" using graphite. Israels was part of the Amsterdam Impressionism movement, and was known for his quick, informal style which often captured scenes of everyday life. The sketch captures a figure, perhaps a woman, seemingly caught in a moment of pause or contemplation. Her identity, like her time and place, remains elusive, which invites us to consider how women were often portrayed during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Were they muses, workers, mothers, or something else? Israels was interested in depicting modern life which often meant depicting women in a very different light. It's a study in contrasts: the boldness of the strokes against the delicacy of the subject. The woman in the artwork becomes a mirror reflecting our own experiences. It reminds us that, like a sketch, life is often about works in progress.