Studies van een man in jacquet 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made these Studies van een man in jacquet with a looseness that says so much. Look at the way he’s attacked the paper, really gone in with the charcoal, but also left so much out, leaving space for us to fill in the gaps. The texture is almost rough, isn't it? Like the paper itself is fighting back against the marks. I love the little cluster of sketches to the left – each one a burst of energy, some almost disappearing into shadow. It's all suggestion, a hint of form, the ghost of a gesture. It reminds me of Cy Twombly’s drawings, that same sense of immediacy and the beauty of imperfection. It’s a reminder that art isn’t about getting it “right,” it’s about the process, the doing, the exploration of a thought made visible.