Twee figuren c. 1915s - 1925s

Isaac Israels made this sketch of two figures with graphite on paper. Look at the density of those marks! I imagine Israels out and about, quickly, intuitively capturing the essence of a scene. I feel for the artist here. Maybe he felt a sense of urgency, a need to preserve a fleeting moment or a certain atmosphere? The marks feel rapid, almost vibrating with a kind of energy. I can imagine him deciding what to leave out as much as what to include. That diagonal hatching communicates so much, it’s almost architectural in the way it builds form, but it's so open too. Israels is in dialogue with the great sketchers and painters of his time, constantly absorbing and responding to the world around him. Isn’t it amazing how such simple gestures can communicate so much? It’s a reminder that painting and drawing is an embodied form of expression. It invites us to pause, to reflect, to see the world with fresh eyes.