Twee acrobaten c. 1915s - 1925s

Isaac Israels made this drawing of two acrobats with pencil on paper. I can imagine him holding the sketchbook in one hand and quickly sketching with the other. The artist captures two figures in dynamic poses, one balancing the other atop a box. The use of line is so expressive, giving us a sense of movement and tension. You can see the artist is trying to figure out the exact position of the bodies, the way they are straining and balancing. I wonder if he made more than one drawing? It kind of makes me want to go and draw something. There's a real sense of energy in the image, and it's clear that Israels was fascinated by the human form and its potential for movement and expression. It reminds me of Degas and Toulouse Lautrec, these artists were also interested in capturing the fleeting moments of modern life.