Zittende vrouw 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels sketched this 'Zittende Vrouw' in charcoal and pencil. I love how the artist allowed the barest lines to suggest so much, capturing the essence of form with minimal strokes. I can imagine Israels rapidly moving the charcoal across the page, capturing the fleeting pose of a woman sitting. The textured strokes create depth and shadow, bringing the figure to life on the page. He has a sense of quickness to his hand, an immediacy, not trying to be perfect, but trying to find the aliveness of the model. I’m drawn to the way the artist captures the weight of the head, the subtle curve of the shoulders. It’s as if I can feel the sitter breathing, existing in that moment. This reminds me of other artists such as Degas who have experimented with capturing fleeting moments, movement, and gesture. It really shows how artists through time are in conversation and exchange of ideas inspiring one another.