Kansel en een gewelf met balken 1905 - 1906

Editor: This is "Kansel en een gewelf met balken," a drawing by Carel Adolph Lion Cachet, dating from around 1905-1906. It's housed at the Rijksmuseum. I'm really drawn to the rawness of the sketch, like a glimpse into the artist's process. What's your perspective on it? Curator: I'm particularly interested in the labor evident within the sketch. It showcases the genesis of an idea, moving from abstraction towards architectural functionality. Observe how the pencil and paper act as instruments, shaping what looks like the design for a church pulpit. Consider, too, how such a sketch collapses traditional distinctions, making little distinction between "high" art and "low" craft. Editor: I see what you mean! It does blur the lines, and it feels almost like he's experimenting with engineering as much as art. Does the choice of a pulpit say something about the social context? Curator: Absolutely. We might think about the artist’s hand as mediating social needs through materiality. He's responding to, and shaping, a very specific space for religious practice and public speaking. Can you consider how this type of drawing would have circulated among artisans at the time, like sharing technical and construction information? Editor: That’s a good point. So the sketch isn't just an aesthetic object, but a form of material communication, tied to specific labor practices? Curator: Precisely! It embodies a confluence of skill, material, and socio-religious purpose. I am fascinated with the role and intent of these types of underdrawings. Editor: I'll definitely look at sketches differently now. I appreciate you showing me the connection between art, labor, and how everyday needs end up in the materiality of art! Curator: Glad I could bring some historical perspective into it. Understanding the materiality and production helps understand so much!