Bloemstudie 1874 - 1945

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this flower study, or ‘Bloemstudie’, with pen and gray ink on paper. The marks here are simple and direct. It's clear that the artist is interested in the process of seeing and recording, rather than creating a highly finished picture. There’s a beautiful openness to this piece, which lets us in on the act of making. The paper itself is visible beneath the translucent washes of ink and the drawing has a light, airy quality. I'm drawn to the contrast between the crisp, descriptive lines defining the flower's petals and the more abstract, amorphous shapes surrounding it. The way the dark, inky shadow pools on the left reminds me of Emil Nolde’s watercolors. Like Nolde, Cachet isn't trying to represent botanical accuracy but is more interested in capturing the essence of the flower's form. Ultimately, this study reminds me that art is often about exploration, about trying to capture something fleeting and ineffable.