Schetsboek XLIV met 43 pagina's 1875 - 1934

This is Sketchbook XLIV with 43 pages by Isaac Israels, probably made in the late 19th or early 20th century. The cover has this fantastic mottled effect, a sea of red and black, with these occasional white flecks, like stars in a strange galaxy. Looking at the surface, you can almost feel the texture. It's not smooth, it’s got a bit of age, a bit of wear and tear, which I love. It reminds me that art is a process, not just a finished product. The cover almost has a marbled effect, like something you'd find in an old library. The binding has a dull sheen, a contrast against the front. This isn't just a sketchbook; it's an object with a history. I’m reminded of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and his own sketchbooks with their raw immediacy, though here the feeling is more muted and refined. It is a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation across time and between artists.