Stadsgezicht 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this cityscape drawing, maybe in the late 19th or early 20th century, with what looks like a graphite stick on paper. The marks are quick, like he was trying to catch a feeling more than a perfect picture. It’s all about the lines here, see? They’re scratched and scribbled, some dark, some barely there. He’s not hiding anything; you can feel his hand moving across the page. There’s a cluster of darker marks near the top right that suggests a building, or maybe just the shadow of one. It’s not precise, but it’s full of energy. Israels reminds me a bit of James Ensor, who was also playing with how little you need to suggest a whole world. It’s like they’re saying, "Here’s a sketch, now you finish the story." That’s what makes art interesting, right? It’s never just one thing.