Ezel c. 1890 - 1920

Isaac Israels made this sketch of a donkey, simply titled 'Ezel', with what looks like charcoal on paper. It’s all about the process, isn’t it? Israels really captures the essence of the animal through these rough, almost frantic lines. Look how he uses varying pressure to create depth, the darker strokes giving weight to the donkey's body, while the lighter ones suggest movement and potential energy. There’s a beautiful economy of means here, each mark doing double duty to describe form and texture. Notice that one stray line that defines the curve of the donkey’s back. It’s so simple, yet so expressive. This directness reminds me of the early sketches of Van Gogh, where the focus is on capturing the raw energy of the subject. It's like Israels is sharing his thought process with us, inviting us to see the world through his eyes.