Vrouw, mogelijk oosters 1887 - 1934

Isaac Israels sketched this portrait of a woman, possibly of Middle Eastern origin, using graphite on paper. It’s all about process here – you can see Israels thinking through the drawing, the lines light and searching, nothing too precious. The sketch is quite spare, focusing on capturing the woman’s likeness with a network of intersecting lines. Look at the way Israels renders the planes of her face, particularly around the nose and cheekbones – there’s a lovely economy of means. The soft shading gives her a gentle, almost ethereal quality. Her gaze is slightly averted, adding a touch of mystery. It’s not about perfection but about the energy of the moment. This reminds me of some of Degas’ more informal sketches. Like Degas, Israels is interested in capturing a fleeting impression, an ephemeral moment in time. There's no right way to interpret the work, of course. It remains open-ended and ambiguous.