Studie van handen 1874 - 1945

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this study of hands with pen in ink, somewhere along the way. It’s a study, which means it’s all about process, and you can really see that here. The ink is applied with a kind of urgent simplicity. Look how the lines vary, thick and thin, confident and then a little scratchy, especially where the sleeves gather at the wrist. It’s a beautiful balance of observation and quick, gestural mark-making. The paper itself has a creamy, worn quality, almost like skin, which makes the hands feel alive. There’s a freedom in the way the ink bleeds and pools in certain spots, creating shadows and depth without a lot of fuss. See how the artist goes back over areas already marked, the bottom hand for example. The artist seems to be thinking through the act of drawing itself. In some ways the work reminds me of Matisse's line drawings. The beauty is in the confidence and the bare minimum it takes to make something sing. It’s art as conversation; open, fluid, and always in process.