Berekeningen 1905 - 1906

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this undated work, "Berekeningen," likely using pen on paper. The pale page is dominated by handwritten calculations in dark ink, positioned asymmetrically to the right. Lines and numbers create a visually dense area, contrasting with the surrounding blank space. This piece intrigues not so much for its mathematical content, but for its structural composition. The calculations, seemingly utilitarian, become aesthetic objects. Lines bisect and divide, creating a rhythmic pattern. The varying sizes and orientations of the numerals add a sense of dynamism. Cachet’s choice of a commonplace activity and its transformation into art destabilizes the conventional separation of the functional and the aesthetic. The formal arrangement of these calculations invites us to reconsider how we assign value and meaning. Is it the information or the visual presentation that holds our attention? This work underscores the potential for any medium, even numbers and lines, to become a form of artistic expression, challenging us to find beauty in the unexpected.