Zeilboot c. 1886 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this charcoal sketch of a sailboat sometime during his lifetime, and it now lives at the Rijksmuseum. Look at how the lines are kind of blurry and smudged. It feels like Israels was trying to capture a feeling more than a perfect picture. I like how the charcoal isn't just lines, but also soft areas of gray. You can almost feel the wind and the water just by how the charcoal is spread around. It reminds me that art isn't always about getting every detail right. Sometimes, it's about the mood you create with the materials. See the dark patch under the boat? It’s not just shadow, it’s like the whole weight and mystery of the sea gathered in one spot. Israels was part of a movement that embraced everyday life, and you can see that here in the quick, casual strokes. This reminds me of James Abbott Whistler, who also used a kind of hazy, dreamy style. It’s like they’re both saying, "Hey, beauty is everywhere, even in the simple stuff."