Studie 1875 - 1934

This is a drawing by Isaac Israels, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. You can really see Israels thinking through the image, working out the composition with meandering lines. It’s all about the process, isn’t it? Look at the sinuous marks he makes, they are ghostly but certain, mapping out forms that seem about to solidify but never quite do. There’s a beautiful openness in the way he lets the pencil wander, almost as if he's feeling his way through the scene, rather than trying to nail it down. The layering of lines creates a shimmering effect, giving the impression of movement. It reminds me a little of Rodin, but less fleshy, more ethereal. Both artists were working at around the same time, so perhaps they were both trying to capture something of modern life, its speed and ephemerality. Like Israels, Rodin approached art as an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time. Ultimately, art is a form which embraces ambiguity and multiple interpretations.