Meubelontwerp c. 1905

This pencil sketch of a furniture design is by Carel Adolph Lion Cachet and sits in the Rijksmuseum. There’s a real sense of possibility and potential here, a glimpse into the artist’s process as they work through a design. I love how immediate and raw the marks are. The artist’s process feels really visible, and that to me is as interesting as the finished product. It's like seeing the bones of a beautiful creature. The texture is interesting, it's so sparse! You can almost feel the give of the paper and the way the pencil glides across the surface. Each line feels so carefully considered, but at the same time, there’s a freedom and spontaneity in the way the artist has worked. Look at the light hatching marks around the top-right, the way the artist moves and suggests a change of plan. It reminds me of other designer artists like William Morris, who was always trying to create a wholistic experience through his art. It really speaks to me about the ongoing conversation between artists across time. Art is ambiguity, and it is beautiful because of that.