Zittende Joanna Lion Cachet-Cordes c. 1935 - 1940

Here's a sketch of a seated woman, Joanna Lion Cachet-Cordes, made by Carel Adolph Lion Cachet, probably in a sketchbook. The overall impression is of a drawing that is both delicate and energetic. Look at the marks made to describe the sitters hair. See how a mass of looping marks, somehow manage to also convey something of the weight and volume of her head. The surface of the paper seems almost untouched in places, leaving space for the viewer to fill in the gaps, to complete the image in our own mind's eye. The whole composition feels provisional and open-ended, as if the artist is inviting us to collaborate in the act of creation. This reminds me of work by Elizabeth Peyton, who also creates images that are less about accurate representation and more about the feeling of being present in the moment. Art invites us to see the world, and each other, in new and unexpected ways.