Abklatsch van de krijttekening op blad 20 verso c. 1886 - 1934

This chalk drawing, made by Isaac Israels, is not quite what it seems. Its appearance stems from a process called "Abklatsch," a German term referring to the technique of taking a print from a chalk drawing. The process involves pressing a sheet of paper against a chalk drawing, effectively lifting some of the medium onto the new surface. The resulting print is a reversed, often fainter, image of the original. Israels’ choice of this technique speaks volumes. The Abklatsch method creates a kind of ghostly echo. It undermines the traditional notion of the artist's hand, creating a mechanical remove. This choice subtly comments on the rise of mechanical reproduction in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The resulting image, born from a blend of artistic skill and mechanical intervention, challenges our expectations of both drawing and printmaking.