Schetsboek XXV met 23 bladen c. 1915s - 1925s

This sketchbook, made by Isaac Israels, invites us to consider the intimate relationship between an artist and their materials. The cover is stained with the ghosts of past ideas and explorations. Those marks, like memories, blend into the surface, creating a history of making. I imagine Israels carrying this with him, ready to capture a fleeting moment or test out an idea. What did the pages within hold? A series of false starts, half-formed figures, or fully realized compositions? Each mark, each stain, speaks to the artist's process of inquiry and discovery. Sketchbooks are like secret gardens where artists cultivate their ideas away from the public eye. Looking at the cover, I'm reminded that every finished artwork is built upon layers of experimentation, hesitation, and playful wandering. Like a conversation among artists, each sketchbook holds the potential for new insights, unexpected connections, and inspiration for generations to come.