Vrouwenhoofd 1875 - 1934

Isaac Israels made this drawing called "Vrouwenhoofd" with a pencil, and it's all about capturing a fleeting moment, that sense of immediacy. The marks here are so tentative, like he's feeling his way around the form. Look at how he suggests the woman's face with just a few scribbled lines. It’s a drawing about drawing. It doesn't feel overworked. You can see the ghost of other figures, too, lurking in the background, like echoes of thoughts. That kind of openness is so appealing. It reminds me of some of Philip Guston's late drawings. Both artists are interested in that in-between state, where the image is still emerging, still in flux. Ultimately, it's about not being too precious, about embracing the unfinished, the uncertain.