Twee mannen c. 1930 - 1938

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this study of Two Men with what looks like a graphite stick or a pen. I love how the linear gestures describe the figures while also appearing to flatten out and turn into abstract marks. You get the feeling Cachet wasn't trying to create likenesses, more so investigating the idea of them. I wonder, what were they like? What did they do? Where did they go? What were they thinking? This reminds me of work by the painter, Phillip Guston. While Guston is well known for his paintings, he was also a prolific and wonderful drawer. These forms are so spare, but they are full of life. Artists like Cachet remind us that paintings are not just about visual representation but are ongoing conversations with the history of picture-making. The act of painting embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations.