Isaac Israels Dutch, 1865-1934

Collection Nierstrasz, The Hague
Sale Amsterdam (Frederik Muller), Collection Nierstrasz, 16 April 1929, lot 19, illustrated
Collection Mrs. A van Dam-Lamon, Amsterdam
Private collection, The Netherlands

Laren, Singer Museum, Isaac Israels, de schilder, 1965, cat.no. 41

Catalogue Laren, Singer Museum, Isaac Israels, de schilder, 1965, illustration 22
Dr. J. Reisel, Isaac Israels. Portret van een Hollandse impressionist, Amsterdam 1967, illustrated on p. 160
S. de Bodt a.o., Isaac Israels. Hollands impressionist, Rotterdam 1999, p. 84-87

From his earliest youth, Isaac Israels cherished French art and culture. Together with his parents he visited Paris frequently. As a result of this, he spoke the language fluently. In 1899 he visited Zola, Mallarmé, Huysmans and also met Odilon Redon. Four years later, when he was granted permission to work inside the fashion houses Decrol and Paquin, Israels left for Paris and stayed there till 1913, becoming thoroughly Francophile.

The ten years in Paris are generally regarded as Israels' most creative period. He rented a studio on the Boulevard de Clichy 9, finding his subjects in the nearby fashion houses, the Bois de Boulogne, the Place Vendôme and the cafes and dance halls of Montmartre. The fashionable, mundane life of the city fascinated him and suited his energetic, exuberant style of painting perfectly. Israels was a frequent visitor of the Moulin Rouge, Moulin de la Galette and Bal Tabarin and portrayed many of its visitors.

Ever since his move to Amsterdam in 1886, the pulsing life in the streets was an important aspect of Israels' urban impressionism. During his stay in Paris it culminated in this wonderful view of the Rue de Clignancourt, an ascending street which is seen from the Boulevard de Rochechouart. The painting, executed around 1908, is a great example of Israels' skills to seize the momentary. In her book on the artist, Anna Wagner praises the way in which Israels depicts the horse-drawn carts, handcarts, carriages and pedestrians in the sun-drenched Rue Clignancourt (p. 40). Some of the figures are just sketchily indicated, in a quick yet sure hand. Gifted with a unique power of observation, Israels captures the life in the street in freely applied, vigorous strokes, stressing the dynamism of the moment. He preferred to take a high vantage point, allowing him to overview the many activities in the street. Capturing all this on his canvas offered him a great artistic challenge.

The present lot, which always stayed in private hands, is one of the undisputed highlights of Isaac Israels' Paris years.