Schetsboek XII met 19 bladen 1875 - 1934

Editor: Here we have Isaac Israels' "Sketchbook XII with 19 sheets," created sometime between 1875 and 1934. It's a series of drawings in ink on paper, housed here at the Rijksmuseum. It feels like… a peek behind the scenes, a glimpse into the artist’s working process, though frankly it mostly looks like empty pages. What can you tell us about this particular sketchbook in relation to Israels' wider body of work, especially given the impressionist tag? Curator: That’s an excellent question. The “empty” pages are as crucial to understanding Israels as the completed drawings. Consider the role of the sketchbook itself in Impressionist practice. It's not just a repository for ideas, but a site of experimentation, immediacy. These sketches, or lack thereof, speak to the artist's social and artistic environment. Editor: So, it's not just what's *in* the sketchbook, but the sketchbook as an object within his practice, the act of him carrying it that matters? Curator: Precisely! Think about where Israels would have taken this. Was it used to capture fleeting moments in bustling city streets? Was he working en plein air, making quick impressions of landscapes? Even blank, these pages suggest a readiness to capture modern life. Furthermore, a museum choosing to exhibit it implies a changing public interest towards understanding the creative genesis, not just the polished end product. It invites the audience to be more participatory in their experience with art. Editor: So the value resides in part in its social context? The sketchbook isn’t just paper and ink, but also a tool that situates Israels in his world? Curator: Exactly. It transforms into evidence about him and society. What we are seeing in museums, and choosing to study now, reflects societal changes as well. Editor: That gives me a lot to think about – it challenges the idea of a singular artistic genius and highlights art as a socially embedded practice. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! Always look at the space *around* the artwork; sometimes, it speaks louder than the art itself.