Vooroverbuigende figuren, mogelijk dansers 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing called "Vooroverbuigende figuren, mogelijk dansers," or "figures leaning forward, possibly dancers" with black chalk, and it's now at the Rijksmuseum. There is a lightness and fluidity to the sketch, with its blurred edges and smudged lines; it feels like he’s trying to capture a sense of motion and rhythm. Look at the way he renders the dancers' limbs as if they were weightless, ethereal forms, their bodies in mid-gesture. The marks are so immediate. You can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the page, making decisions on the fly. There is a real sense of immediacy to this work, a sort of raw energy that’s almost palpable. It reminds me of Degas, especially his drawings of ballet dancers, the way he captured the ephemeral quality of movement through a few deft strokes. Ultimately, what's so great about this drawing is that it leaves so much open to interpretation, inviting us to fill in the gaps.