Figuurstudie c. 1915s - 1925s

This figure study was made by Isaac Israels, who was Dutch, most likely with graphite on paper. It’s all about the bones of seeing, isn't it? A gesture that’s like a dance, capturing a figure with such minimal means. There is a raw, immediate quality to the marks that speak to the fleeting moment. It is a study in seeing, about the basic form, the essential lines, the first impressions. Look how Israels used a very light touch, almost like the graphite was barely making contact with the page, so light and open. There is a real kind of energy to that. Artists like Degas, they’re all about that quick sketch, the impression – it is this attempt to capture the essence, the thing itself. It's not so much about detail as it is about something more, that energy, that moment. It’s a reminder that art is a conversation, an ongoing dialogue between artists and ideas.