Zittende vrouw, vermoedelijk Joanna Lion Cachet-Cordes, drinkend uit een kop c. 1935 - 1940

Editor: This is "Zittende vrouw, vermoedelijk Joanna Lion Cachet-Cordes, drinkend uit een kop," by Carel Adolph Lion Cachet, created around 1935 to 1940. It's a pen drawing, housed here at the Rijksmuseum. It has this kind of airy, unfinished feel that's almost dreamlike. What stands out to you in terms of the formal qualities? Curator: Note the emphasis is not on a faithful representation. The function of line here, it seems to me, is less descriptive and more suggestive. The artist captures the essence of the figure with an economy of means. Observe how the repetition of curvilinear forms generates rhythm, most evident in the suggestion of hair. Editor: So it’s more about capturing movement and form than precise detail. Curator: Precisely. One might read the rapid, somewhat nervous line as an index of the artist's own engagement with the subject, a sort of visual thinking aloud. Do you notice how the artist employs hatching and cross-hatching in certain areas? What do you make of this stylistic choice? Editor: It seems to add depth, right? Creating shadows and emphasizing volume, but in a really subtle way, that doesn't detract from the light airiness you were mentioning. It emphasizes planes on the figure and hints at a source of illumination. Curator: Precisely, this economy of line is indicative of an artistic methodology focused on pure form. It highlights an emphasis on structural underpinnings and proportional relationships. Ultimately, this is a testament to the power of reduction. Editor: It's interesting how much information can be conveyed with such simplicity! Thanks. Curator: Indeed. Focusing on composition allows for a deeper engagement. I’ve gleaned a fresh viewpoint myself.