Bloem 1874 - 1945

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this print, called "Bloem," out of etching. Look at how the flower seems to almost float on the page. It's like a ghost, or a memory of a flower. The texture is fascinating; you can see the bite of the acid on the metal, the way it creates these delicate, almost furry lines. The way the light catches on those etched surfaces is really something. The overall tone is muted, almost melancholic, but there’s a real tenderness in the way the flower is rendered. The way the petals curl and twist, it's like a little dance frozen in time. It reminds me of some of Odilon Redon's more subtle works, where he's also using a limited palette to create a world of dreams and fleeting beauty. It's like Cachet is showing us that even in monochrome, there's a whole universe of color and emotion waiting to be discovered.