The way in which Israels portrayed Mata Hari stands in stark contrast to her reputation as an exotic dancer. The painting shows her as a woman of the world. The low horizon, her coat and her shadow on the wall emphasise her haughty and self-assured attitude. The portrait is made up of different blocks of colour, applied with loose and rapid brushstrokes. Israels was concerned not with the details, but with his subject’s character.
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