Decoratief ontwerp met twee handtekeningen 1874 - 1945

Editor: This is Carel Adolph Lion Cachet’s "Decoratief ontwerp met twee handtekeningen," dating from sometime between 1874 and 1945. It’s watercolor on paper, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. I'm struck by the contrast between the stylized floral design and the almost haphazard quality of the brushstrokes. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Looking at this piece, I immediately consider the context of its production. Watercolor, often deemed a preparatory or 'lesser' medium, here takes center stage. Consider the labor involved in creating the repeated motifs, almost hinting at mass production despite the handcrafted nature of watercolor. Editor: Mass production even though it’s handmade? How does that work? Curator: Think about the Art Nouveau movement itself – a desire to bring art into everyday life, to democratize design. Was Cachet perhaps responding to industrial modes of creation, ironically mimicking them by hand? It challenges this hierarchy. Are we looking at the design for something that could have then been translated into mass-produced object? How does the watercolor and free brush stroke inform your impression, against a more 'finished' project? Editor: I see what you mean. It's not just a pretty design, it’s raising questions about the value we place on handmade versus machine-made objects. And how artists position themselves and their work within consumer culture, or maybe against it? Curator: Exactly. It invites us to consider the economic and social forces that shaped Cachet's choices and the perception of 'decorative art' itself. Editor: So it makes you think about the value that’s placed in certain art based on the labour behind it or even the material that is being used. Thanks, I’ll keep all this in mind next time I come across something like this. Curator: It all boils down to considering material conditions and process when viewing a piece! It’s always more than just meets the eye.