Ontwerp voor een kleed 1874 - 1945

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet created this design for a rug using watercolor and graphite. Cachet was a Dutch artist living through a period of increased trade between the Netherlands and its colonies in Indonesia. This design reflects the Dutch interest in non-Western art, especially the Islamic art produced in the Middle East. It has a clear symmetry and repetition that borrows from Islamic visual culture. In the late 19th century, the Dutch state began investing in the region and developing industries. This institutional interest encouraged the development of a market for imported Islamic art. Artisans like Cachet responded to the growing enthusiasm by incorporating it into their own designs. To understand the visual culture of this period, researchers can look into Dutch trade records, museum collection inventories, and even advertisements. Studying these resources helps us to understand how art is always part of larger social and institutional systems.