Figuur op een terras 1875 - 1934

This is a graphite drawing called "Figuur op een terras" by Isaac Israels, hanging out here at the Rijksmuseum. Look at how Israels attacks the page with these scribbly, energetic lines! It’s like he’s trying to capture not just what he sees, but how it *feels* to see it. You know, that fleeting impression, the light, the vibe. There’s something really raw and immediate about this drawing, isn’t there? The smudgy texture of the graphite, the way the lines overlap and intersect, creating these shadowy, ambiguous forms. You can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the paper, making quick decisions, responding to the moment. See that cluster of darker lines up top? It’s a jumble, like a thought process made visible. It reminds me a bit of Cy Twombly, that sense of restless searching. Ultimately, a piece like this is a reminder that art doesn't always have to be about perfect representation. Sometimes, it’s about capturing a feeling, an impression, an idea. And it’s up to us, the viewers, to fill in the blanks and make our own connections.