Vrouw, ten halven lijve c. 1915s - 1925s

Editor: Here we have Isaac Israels' "Vrouw, ten halven lijve," dating from somewhere between 1915 and 1925. It's a graphite drawing on paper, a study of a woman's head and shoulders, currently residing at the Rijksmuseum. It feels very intimate, like a glimpse into the artist's personal sketchbook. What strikes you when you look at this drawing? Curator: What grabs me is the energy! Israels isn’t trying to give us a photographic likeness. He’s capturing a fleeting moment, an impression of light and shadow dancing across her face and the volume of her hair. See how he uses those quick, almost scribbled lines? It reminds me of Degas, capturing ballerinas backstage – all about movement and feeling, less about rigid perfection. Editor: It's true, the lines are very active! It almost feels unfinished. Curator: Precisely! It’s like catching the artist in the act of thinking. We see the process, the struggle to pin down what he observes. It makes me wonder what she was thinking at the time – a daydream, maybe? These captured moments always leave me musing about their history. Editor: I never thought about the history! Looking at the subject I see his ability to create dimension using hatching with what at first seems like chaotic mark making. I almost missed it at first glance! Curator: Yes, Israels teases us with simplification, then surprises with details – did you notice the tiny sketch lines detailing of her face in the detail? Wonderful how he uses the blank space, too, letting it suggest form rather than explicitly defining it. He’s letting our imaginations fill in the gaps. Editor: It's been interesting to consider it as a kind of poetic snapshot. Curator: And for me, it's another reminder that art isn't just about finished products but about the raw, imperfect, beautiful journey of seeing and translating the world.