Vrouw, ten halven lijve c. 1915s - 1925s

Isaac Israels made this pencil sketch of a woman, here at the Rijksmuseum, and I can almost hear the scratching of the pencil on paper. It's so immediate, so raw. Look at the way Israels uses these quick, diagonal lines to create shadow and depth. It’s like he’s trying to capture a fleeting moment, a glimpse of her essence. I wonder what she was thinking? Was she comfortable, or just trying to get it over with? The sketch isn’t so much about perfect representation as it is about feeling, about energy. It makes me think about other artists who’ve used line in such a visceral way—Kathe Kollwitz comes to mind. There’s a sense of urgency, like the artist is wrestling with something, trying to pin it down before it disappears. The way Israels leaves so much unsaid, undefined—well, that’s where the magic happens. It’s like he’s inviting us to complete the picture, to bring our own stories and experiences to it. Isn't that what art is all about?