Lopende vrouw met een hoed 1874 - 1945

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this drawing of a running woman with a hat, probably in a sketchbook, using what looks like charcoal. I love how immediate this feels. The marks are so alive. You can almost see the artist watching someone, quickly capturing their essence. The charcoal is smudgy and raw, not fussy at all. Look how the lines imply movement, especially around the legs and hat. There’s a real sense of fleeting time and a captured moment. The texture is key here, right? The roughness of the charcoal against the smooth paper gives it a cool contrast. See how the artist uses the side of the charcoal in some areas to create shadows, and then presses hard to get those dark, decisive lines. It reminds me a bit of Daumier’s drawings, that same kind of social observation mixed with a real feel for the material. It’s like they’re both saying, “I see you, and I’m going to draw you exactly as you are.” And for me, that’s what art is all about—being present and seeing the world with open eyes.