Twee vrouwen met opwaaiende rokken 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing, *Twee vrouwen met opwaaiende rokken*, using what looks like black chalk or maybe charcoal, on paper. What I like about it is the speed, that the artist has captured the movement of the women through the suggestive marks. I can almost feel the breeze. It's the kind of drawing that is all about the gesture, the immediacy of the line. The smudges and stray marks are a testament to the process. In the bottom left, that cluster of dark marks evokes the swirling of fabric, like a dance caught in a split second. Israels reminds me of other artists like Degas, or Manet, who were not afraid to leave their workings on the surface, showing the viewer the decisions they made. In the end, art is a conversation with itself. It's about leaving space for the viewer to become part of the story.