Gebouwen, mogelijk winkelpuien 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing of buildings, possibly storefronts, with what looks like charcoal. I'm struck by how the marks aren't precious, but they are powerful. It makes me think about artmaking as a kind of translation – trying to capture something fleeting. The real energy of this piece comes from the texture. The charcoal is applied in such a way that you can almost feel the grain of the paper underneath. Look at the upper left, where the dark mass hovers. It's not just a shadow, it's a physical presence made of tiny, frantic lines. And then you see these streaks of light cutting through the darkness, scratched into the surface. It reminds me of Diebenkorn’s etchings, the way he uses line to create space and depth. Ultimately, it’s the ambiguity that gets me. Are these buildings looming or receding? Is it night or day? It's all up for grabs. And that's what makes it so exciting.