Gezicht op Venetië 1874 - 1945

Editor: This is "Gezicht op Venetië" (View of Venice), a pencil drawing from between 1874 and 1945 by Carel Adolph Lion Cachet, housed right here in the Rijksmuseum. It almost looks like an architectural blueprint. What do you see in it? Curator: You're right, there's something about the bird’s-eye perspective combined with the artist's use of line that reminds me of technical drawings, but softened – romanticized, almost. What strikes me is how Lion Cachet seems to be distilling the *essence* of Venice rather than creating a photorealistic rendering. He’s pulling out the famous monuments and putting them together almost like charms on a bracelet. Editor: A bracelet? That's an interesting way to think about it! What do you mean by "essence"? Curator: Well, notice how he focuses on recognizable landmarks: you see the Rialto bridge, San Giorgio Maggiore... It’s Venice boiled down to its postcard-perfect iconography, layered one on top of the other. Almost a dreamlike place where you can have access to everything, simultaneously! I wonder where Lion Cachet was in his travels, did he plan to expand his explorations to create additional images of Venice as keepsakes? Editor: Oh, I see! So he's not really showing us a specific viewpoint, but rather an impression of the city built from memories and iconic imagery? It’s more like how we *feel* about Venice, than what it actually *looks* like? Curator: Exactly! He's inviting us to bring our own Venice to the drawing, our own memories and fantasies, layering them onto the existing scene. And did you notice, all of it displayed on what looks to be gridded graph paper! A delightful combination of freedom and rigor. Editor: That’s so clever! I wouldn’t have noticed how personal that choice is if you hadn't pointed it out. Thank you for helping me view the drawing differently. Curator: My pleasure. It's fascinating how a simple pencil sketch can hold so many layers of meaning, and invite so much personal reflection, isn't it?