Studies van een ganzen voerende vrouw en een staande vrouw 1834 - 1911

Jozef Israëls created this pencil drawing, Studies van een ganzen voerende vrouw en een staande vrouw, now held at the Rijksmuseum. Immediately, the composition feels fragmented yet harmonic, achieved through a series of sketches that capture women in various poses. Israëls uses line and shading to suggest form, rather than define it. The open cross-hatching creates areas of shadow and depth. The composition avoids a single focal point, instead inviting the eye to wander across the page, engaging with each figure independently, yet within a unified field. This reflects a shift in artistic thinking of the time, challenging traditional notions of perspective. The seemingly unfinished quality of this work is part of its appeal; Israëls captures fleeting moments, which emphasizes process over product. Consider how the artist’s hand is visible in every stroke, leaving us with an image that’s not just a representation, but a record of its creation.