Twee zittende kinderen en koppen 1895

This is a graphite sketch by Carel Adolph Lion Cachet, whose dates are 1864 to 1945. As you can see, the artist has captured two children and several heads in a quick, economic style. Lion Cachet was trained in applied arts, not fine art. This is immediately apparent in the type of mark-making he employs, a hatched and directional technique. He uses these lines to describe the planes and forms of the figures, an approach closely aligned with the graphic arts. The qualities of graphite itself are also important here. Think of graphite as a form of crystallized carbon, a material most of us know from the humble pencil. And in this work, Lion Cachet fully embraces the immediacy and accessibility of the medium. This approach challenges the traditional distinctions between fine art and craft, emphasizing the importance of material, context, and ways of making in understanding the full meaning of the artwork.