Toeschouwers, mogelijk op een theaterbalkon 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing, “Toeschouwers, mogelijk op een theaterbalkon,” with a pencil. It's just a flurry of marks and smudges, a study, really. I'm thinking about Israels sitting in the audience, in the dark, trying to catch the atmosphere with just a few lines. You can almost feel him trying to capture the energy of the crowd, the hush before the show, the anticipation hanging in the air. The pencil marks are so immediate, like he's not trying to be precious but just get something down fast before it disappears. It reminds me of Degas and his pastels of dancers – that same sense of fleeting beauty and backstage glimpses. You know, artists are always looking at each other, borrowing ideas, and pushing things forward. It's like one big conversation that never ends. And this little drawing is part of that conversation.