Figuren op straat 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this pencil sketch, “Figuren op straat,” which translates to “Figures in the Street,” and it’s currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. What strikes me is how the artist embraces a kind of shorthand, a visual note-taking that feels really immediate. Look at the texture created simply by the varying pressure of the pencil. There’s this beautiful scratchiness, especially in the way the figures are rendered. It's like Israels is less concerned with capturing every detail and more interested in capturing the essence, the movement, and the energy of the street scene. The lines aren’t precious; they overlap and intersect, creating a sense of depth and space with very little information. The legs of a table are implied by loose hatches of lines, while the people have just enough detail to register as figures, nothing more. It reminds me a little of Daumier, that quick, gestural way of capturing the world as it flies by. It’s all about the process, isn’t it? The act of seeing and responding, trusting the hand to follow the eye.