Isaac Israels Dutch, 1865-1934

Isaac Israels held a life-long fascination for modern, urban subjects, drawing inspiration from the busy streets, cafés and fashion houses. Around the turn of the century he was granted permission to work inside the fashion house Hirsch on the Leidseplein in Amsterdam. Here he depicted the daily activities of the seamstresses and essayeuses in the fitting rooms. Hirsch introduced Israels to the Parisian fashion houses Decroll (at the Place de l’Opéra) and Paquin (in the Rue de la Paix). Israels left for Paris in June 1903 and rented a studio on the Boulevard Clichy, which he kept until 1913. The Paris decade is generally regarded as his most creative period.

The present lot depicts a seamstress at work, most probably in one of the rooms of Paquin. The pastels with fashion subjects earned him great fame. Contrary to the colourful depiction of Parisian street life,  Israels' interiors are usually held in subdued tonalities, enlivened by just some subtle accents. He mastered the pastel technique like no other Dutch artist of his time. It suited his goal to capture fleeting moments instantly, without second thoughts, keeping the time delay between his impressions and its registration as short as possible.

The present lot was acquired from the famous gallery Frans Buffa and Sons in Amsterdam and stayed in private hands ever since.