Studieblad, onder andere met ontwerpen voor elektrische lampen c. 1905

This sheet of studies for electric lamps was made by Carel Adolph Lion Cachet, probably around the turn of the century. It’s cool to see the making process laid bare, the tentative first thoughts of the artist laid out in pencil. You can almost feel Cachet thinking through the designs, line by line. What I love is the way the pencil marks aren't overworked; they're allowed to be light and airy, full of potential. Take the curly flourishes on the lamps; they're so casually drawn, but they give the designs a touch of elegance. This reminds me a bit of the design work of someone like William Morris, who was also interested in bringing beauty to everyday objects. But Cachet's lamps have a more modern feel, a hint of the machine age. It's like he's trying to reconcile the handmade with the mass-produced, which is something artists are still grappling with today. Ultimately, it's the not knowing that makes this piece sing.