Vrouw op een terras 1875 - 1934

This sketch of a woman on a terrace was made with pencil by Isaac Israels sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. Look at how Israels built the form, hatching back and forth, allowing the lines to amass and describe the volumes of her hat and face. The sketch feels so immediate and fresh. I love the way the lines aren't precious, he's really just trying to capture the impression of light on her face. Notice the darker pencil marks around her right eye; it's kind of scribbled, but somehow totally descriptive. It reminds me of those moments in painting when you’re trying to fix a proportion, and the corrections actually end up being the most beautiful and expressive parts of the work. Israels reminds me a little of Manet, just in the way he takes these ordinary moments and finds a way to make them feel so alive. It’s a reminder that art isn't always about grand statements; sometimes it's just about seeing the world around you and trying to capture it with a pencil.