Man en vrouw voor een café te Parijs 1887 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of a man and woman in front of a cafe in Paris with graphite on paper. What strikes me most is the speed of line, the energy conveyed by the marks. The surface has a beautiful rough texture and the use of shading gives the impression of depth, it's pretty amazing that such depth can be achieved with a minimum of marks. Look at the line that depicts the woman's back, and how it curves, that single curve suggests so much about her posture, her elegance. Israels reminds me a little of Manet, in the way he captures the fleeting moments of modern life. Like Manet, he embraces the sketch-like quality of the work, not striving for a polished finish but instead inviting us into his process, his way of seeing. It feels like we are there with him, observing this Parisian scene. I love the immediacy, the pure joy of drawing.