Figuren, mogelijk deels onder een afdak 1921 - 1922

This sketch, Figuren, mogelijk deels onder een afdak, was made by Isaac Israels. Look at this quickness of line! I imagine Israels’ hand moving fast, trying to catch the essence of figures under a shelter. It’s all about suggestion, isn’t it? Those rapid marks forming bodies, the slightest indication of space... What was he thinking? Was he trying to distill the human form to its most basic elements? Did he feel connected to the people he drew? There’s a conversation happening here, between the artist, the subject, and us. Israels’ sketch reminds me of other artists who embrace the unfinished and the open-ended, like Twombly. We're constantly building on what's come before, riffing on each other's ideas. This sketch isn't just a picture; it's a record of a moment, an idea, a feeling.