Twee gieren 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels captured these two vultures with graphite on paper. Look at these delicate, scratchy lines – almost like the artist was trying to catch the birds on the page before they flew away. I can imagine Israels in a zoo or some wild place, quickly sketching, trying to get the essence of these creatures before they shifted. Did he want to capture their weight, the way they perch, or maybe something about their character? And the other marks here, the smudges and faint shapes, hint at other ideas, other creatures that didn't quite make it. Maybe those failed attempts are just as interesting as the final image. It reminds me that drawing, like painting, is a process of constant inquiry, a conversation between the artist, the subject, and the materials. Each line, each smudge, is a thought, a question, a little piece of a bigger puzzle. It’s a testament to the idea that art isn't just about what you see, but how you see it.