Figuren tussen coulissen c. 1915s - 1925s

Editor: Isaac Israels’ "Figuren tussen coulissen", created somewhere between 1915 and 1925, is a lively sketch using pencil and pen. There’s something almost secretive about it, like a stolen glimpse of a scene backstage. The energy really comes through. What do you see in this work? Curator: Ah, yes, Israels, forever capturing the fleeting moment. To me, this isn't just a drawing; it's a portal! You can almost smell the greasepaint and hear the muffled chaos. The rapid lines, that nervous energy… he’s chasing the ephemeral quality of the theatre itself. Don't you find that exciting? Editor: Definitely, it's not static. So, do you think the incompleteness is intentional? Like he's less interested in precise details and more into conveying the atmosphere? Curator: Precisely! Think of the Impressionists – they weren't striving for photorealism, were they? It’s about capturing an impression, an emotion. Israels is doing the same, only his stage is the world itself. It makes me wonder, what stories did these figures hold? Did Israels ever complete this? Editor: It’s cool how a seemingly unfinished sketch can feel so full of life and possibility. Makes you wonder about all the unseen stories happening just out of view. Curator: Indeed. And it reminds me that art isn't always about the finished product, sometimes the real magic is in the process, the fleeting capture of a feeling.