Ontwerp voor een oorkonde ter gelegenheid van twaalf en een half jaar trouwe dienst bij de Lijm- en Gelatinefabriek 1874 - 1945

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this design for a certificate of service with ink on paper. The monochrome palette—blacks, whites, and grays—really emphasizes the graphic quality, almost like a woodcut, but with a flowing art nouveau style. I imagine Cachet carefully plotting the composition, and the words that fill the central space. The ornamental frame must have been a challenge with all its motifs. What did it feel like to move the pen across the surface, building up the weight of each line, each mark? The stylized peacocks facing each other at the top and bottom, create a symmetrical pattern. The more I look at it, the more it reminds me of the work of Gustav Klimt, with its flatness and decorative motifs. The two artists are in conversation across time, each inspiring the other’s creativity. The whole piece comes together as an expression of dedication, not only from the worker but from the artist as well. I’m left appreciating the care and labor involved in its creation.