Zittende figuren 1875 - 1934

This is "Zittende figuren," or "Sitting Figures," made by Isaac Israels with a pencil on paper. What strikes me first is the economy of line, a kind of casual observation. The lines are tentative, almost like the artist is feeling out the form, not quite sure, but willing to commit to the mark. Check out the dark hatching that models the head and shoulders. It's a dense thicket of marks that almost obscures the form, yet it gives the figure weight. It feels like a snapshot of a moment, not labored over but instead capturing a fleeting impression. The way the lines trail off into nothingness, leaving the rest to your imagination. It reminds me a little of Degas's sketches, the way he captured movement and fleeting moments with just a few lines. It’s as though the artist is saying, “Here’s a glimpse, now you fill in the rest.”