Benen en een voet 1874 - 1945

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this pencil sketch, 'Legs and a foot', at an unknown date. It looks like the artist was just working something out, trying to resolve the shapes and forms, or maybe just get warmed up. I love the way he uses a light touch in some areas, letting the lines float and suggest form, and then digs in with some heavier shading to ground the figures. You can see a similar technique in a lot of Matisse’s sketchbooks, that seeking out of form with the bare minimum of means. Look at the foot at the bottom of the page. See how the artist just uses a few quick lines to suggest the curve of the calf and the arch of the foot. The way the shading makes the leg solid, but also seems to disappear into the page is really beautiful. It reminds me that art is often about capturing a feeling or an impression, rather than a literal representation of reality.