Twee dansparen 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels sketched these dancing couples with what looks like charcoal, capturing the essence of movement. You can almost hear the music. I imagine Israels watching them, maybe in a smoky dance hall, quickly trying to get the feel of the figures before they shift. What were they wearing? Where were they going? The strokes are so minimal but they tell you so much. See how the lines sort of suggest the weight and the energy of the dancers? The loose lines, they’re not about getting every detail right. They're about getting the feeling right. It reminds me a little of Degas' dancers. There is a lovely, light touch, capturing a fleeting moment, an echo of form. There is a real sense of intimacy, as if Israels is sharing his own personal experience of the world. Artists are always talking to each other, across time, inspiring each other to see things in new ways. It’s like we’re all in this big conversation about what it means to be human, and how to show it.