Portret van Beppie met hoed c. 1915s - 1925s

Editor: Here we have Isaac Israels' "Portrait of Beppie with Hat", a pencil and ink drawing from around the 1910s or 20s, held at the Rijksmuseum. There's a playful, unfinished quality to it that I find very appealing. What's your take on this, from an art historical point of view? Curator: Ah, yes, Beppie! This feels less like a formal portrait and more like a fleeting thought, caught on paper. Imagine Israels, perhaps at a cafe, quickly sketching Beppie. The seemingly casual strokes hint at a deep understanding of form. Does it remind you of Degas' dancers at all? The same capturing of a spontaneous moment? Editor: I can see that! There's that shared impressionistic emphasis on capturing a moment. Is the "hat" referenced in the title even visible? I'm having a little trouble seeing it. Curator: A fair point! "Hat" might be a bit generous; perhaps "head covering" would be more accurate. It’s more about the impression of something perched on her head, wouldn’t you agree? For me, that almost-there-ness IS the art. A complete rendering would kill the feeling. Like explaining a joke... Editor: I get it. Leaving things to the imagination keeps it fresh. You almost want to reach for your own pencil to fill it in. Curator: Precisely! It’s like a visual conversation. And look at the looseness around the hair, and those bold strokes around what may or may not be a shoulder. The ink feels positively alive, leaping off the page after a hundred years! Editor: It really does. I walked in thinking it was just a quick sketch, but now I see how much life and energy Israels packed into so few lines. Curator: Absolutely. It's the confidence of knowing *what* to leave out, and *how* to leave it out that makes it sing, in my view. Thank you for noticing that!