Ontwerp voor een kleed (?) 1874 - 1945

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this design for a rug with ink and watercolor, but when, we just don't know! The rhythmic shapes and soft colours here are really striking, like a dance between natural forms and architectural structure. The edges aren’t perfectly defined; the colors bleed a little, which gives the design a fluid, almost dreamlike quality. I’m drawn to the way the coral-red leaf patterns twist and turn around the central, light grey form, creating a sense of depth and movement. The cross sits at the center like an axis, but it feels more totemic than religious. The dark background really pushes everything forward, making the colours pop. You can see how Cachet embraced the process of artmaking, letting the materials lead the way. It reminds me of the work of Gustav Klimt, who also blended ornamentation with symbolic content. It’s a reminder that art isn’t about fixed meanings but about ongoing exploration and discovery.