Staande man 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of a standing man with pencil on paper. It’s so pared down, almost like he’s trying to capture not just the man, but the very essence of standing. Look at how he uses these quick, scribbly lines to define the form, a kind of controlled chaos that gives the figure a sense of movement. The weight of the coat is there, but it’s also kind of floating, like an idea of a coat. The lines around the legs and feet are particularly interesting to me. They seem to imply a solid groundedness, a counterpoint to the sketchier upper body. Israels reminds me of Degas, who also embraced a kind of beautiful incompleteness in his work, and left space for the viewer to bring their own perceptions and feelings. It's less about perfection and more about suggestion.