Ontwerp voor een doopvont c. 1905 - 1906

Editor: So, here we have "Ontwerp voor een doopvont," a design for a baptismal font by Carel Adolph Lion Cachet, dating around 1905-1906. It’s a pencil drawing on paper, and what strikes me immediately is its simplicity, almost childlike in a way. All these lines and numbers, just a sketch really! What do you make of it? Curator: A-ha! "Childlike" isn't far off, you know? There's a raw, unpolished energy here, isn't there? Almost feels like peeking into the artist’s mind. It is a functional design, but also seems deeply spiritual, doesn’t it? All those precise measurements juxtaposed with these gestural lines. Imagine Cachet wrestling with form and function, sacredness and practicality all at once, captured in a simple sketchbook. Makes you wonder about the actual finished piece, doesn’t it? Editor: It does! I am trying to imagine it in three dimensions, feels really challenging. Do you think that simplicity I mentioned points to a specific artistic movement or a common practice for architects at the time? Curator: Good question. Early 20th century, ideas about functionalism were floating around. It’s not so much about ornamentation; rather about stripping something down to its purest form. Though there’s a bit of art nouveau swirling about in those curves too, perhaps? A blend of both, wouldn't you say? The geometric shapes balanced with almost organic forms – feels intentional, almost poetic. Editor: Now that you mention it, I can definitely see a connection between these geometric lines and Art Nouveau elements, such as the flowy arches. Thanks for pointing that out, I completely missed it. Curator: The joy is in the discovering, isn’t it? Next time you see it, let your intuition lead! See where it takes you.