Ezelrijden op het strand c. 1890 - 1920

Isaac Israels made this drawing of people riding donkeys on the beach with graphite on paper, maybe whilst sitting on the beach himself. I love the economy of it, the way the figures emerge from the ground as if Israels was trying to capture a fleeting moment. Look at those quick, scribbled lines that suggest movement, the way he layers them to build up the forms of the people and donkeys. I can imagine Israels standing there, squinting in the sunlight, trying to capture the essence of the scene before it disappeared. You know, sometimes the best paintings come from those quick, intuitive gestures, where you're not overthinking it, just letting your hand follow your eye. I see echoes of Daumier in here, that feeling of everyday life captured with such immediacy. It’s a reminder that painting is not about perfection, but about the energy and exchange between the artist and the world.