Figuurstudies 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this sketchbook drawing, Figuurstudies, with graphite on paper. It’s all about the energy of the line, isn't it? A pure kind of mark-making, like he’s trying to catch something fleeting. Look at the way he lets the lines pile up, especially in the figures on the left and middle. You can almost feel the pressure of his hand, the way he’s wrestling with the form. It’s not about getting it “right,” but about the act of seeing and recording. The marks are light, quick, and repeated, exploring possible outlines of what he sees in front of him. It reminds me a bit of Degas' sketches, that same sense of capturing movement and light in a really immediate way. For me, this work speaks to the idea of art as a process. It's about thinking through drawing, rather than making a polished statement.