Israëls moved to Amsterdam in 1887 and together with Breitner enrolled at the National Academy. He did however see a selection of Vincent's paintings at Theo van Gogh's art dealership while in Paris in 1889.

Although Breitner sketched with van Gogh in their student days at The Hague (Breitner was later dismissive of Vincent's 'eskimo paintings', while Vincent in turn dismissed Breitner's efforts as 'mouldy wallpaper'), there is no record of Israëls ever meeting van Gogh. Following some early training at the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, where he met George Hendrik Breitner (the two are credited as founding the so-called school of Amsterdam Impressionism), Isaac followed the examples of Johannes Bosboom and van Gogh and spent time in the Borinage, the Belgian mining district. Isaac was the son of Jozef Israëls, the noted Hague School painter revered by Vincent van Gogh.

Isaac Israëls, Fashion show at Hirsch & Cie, between 19, Jewish Historical Museum, Amsterdam.Ĭhristie's lot notes for its November 2012 sale of this painting observes that Isaac Israëls is the painter of modern life in fin-de-siècle Netherlands. The premises are now occupied by an Apple Store. It re-opened in 1948 after the war and continued until 1976 when it finally closed its doors. Hirsch & Cie in Amsterdam continued until 1943, when it was forced to close as part of the Nazi policy of dispossessing Jews of their property during the occupation of the Netherlands. His treatment is realist rather than glamorous, portraying seamstresses as well as their wealthy clients. He went on to portray the whole range of the world of haute couture, both in Amsterdam and Paris. Israëls was introduced to the house by his childhood friend and portrait painter Thérèse Schwartze. It depicts the twin sisters Helena (1895-1964) and Geertruida Wehmann (1895-1975), models at the Amsterdam fashion house Hirsch & Cie in the Leidseplein whose professional names were Ippy and Gertie respectively.

Ippy and Gertie Posing at Fashion House Hirsch, Amsterdam is a circa 1916 oil on canvas painting by the Dutch artist Isaac Israëls. Isaac Israëls, Ippy and Gertie Posing at Fashion House Hirsch, Amsterdam, circa 1916, oil on canvas, 79.5 x 51 cm, Private collection

Isaac Israels by de Bodt