Interieur met staande en zittende figuren 1921 - 1922

Isaac Israels made this drawing called Interieur met staande en zittende figuren, with pencil on paper. It's all about capturing a moment, a fleeting glimpse, and the process feels so immediate. I love how Israels uses line, so delicate, yet so descriptive. Look how the figures emerge from the page with just a few strokes. It’s as if he's inviting us into his thought process, sharing the raw energy of creation. The texture of the paper becomes part of the artwork, adding depth and a sense of intimacy. Those smudges and erasures? They tell a story of searching, of refining, of the artist's hand at play. The way Israels captures light and shadow with such economy is amazing. Notice the parallel hatching on the staircase, how they create depth and volume, pulling you into the scene. It reminds me a little of Degas and his sketches of dancers – that same focus on movement, on capturing the essence of a figure in space. Art is always a conversation, right? Always building on what came before, always pushing in new directions.