Vrouwenhoofd en een man, in profiel c. 1915s - 1925s

Isaac Israels made this drawing of a woman’s head and a man in profile with graphite on paper. The casual nature of the medium and the artist’s line suggests this was a study or a preparatory sketch of a larger project. The marks are quick and simple, creating a sense of immediacy and intimacy. The artist seems more concerned with capturing the essential forms and gestures than with achieving a polished or realistic depiction. Look how the lines are fainter in some areas, as if they are emerging from the page, and how others are darker and more defined, creating a subtle contrast. In the face of the woman, Israels uses a cluster of short, scribbled lines to indicate the features, while the man’s profile is rendered with a single, fluid stroke. The work brings to mind the drawings of Degas, which similarly capture everyday moments with a sense of spontaneity and grace. The act of drawing is like a conversation, a dialogue between the artist and the subject, full of questions and possibilities rather than definitive answers.