Twee dansende vrouwen c. 1886 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of two dancing women with what looks like charcoal or graphite, quick and smudgy, focusing on capturing the movement of their bodies and clothing. It’s like he was trying to get the feeling of the dance down first, and the details later, if at all. You can almost feel the weight of the charcoal as it moves across the page, pressing harder to define a shadow, then lifting to suggest the lightness of fabric. Look at the lines that make up the dresses - they flare out with a real sense of energy. Then there’s the way he suggests the faces with just a few strokes. It's almost like he's saying, "You know what a face looks like, I don't need to spell it out for you!" Israels reminds me of Degas, with that interest in capturing everyday life, and the way the line becomes so expressive, even when it’s just a sketch. It’s like catching a glimpse of something real, a fleeting moment that’s gone as soon as you try to hold onto it.