Studies, vermoedelijk architectuur 1908

Here at the Rijksmuseum is Carel Adolph Lion Cachet's pencil drawing, "Studies, vermoedelijk architectuur." I love the immediacy here, how Cachet seemed to grab the first thing to hand and just start drawing. It is like he’s thinking aloud, with a series of light, tentative marks that capture the essence of a scene. The texture of the paper plays a big role; it’s not just a surface, but part of the drawing's story. Look closely, and you can almost feel the give of the paper under the pencil. See how the lines vary in weight and darkness? Some are barely-there whispers, others are more assertive, digging into the page. It reminds me that drawing is a physical act, a dance between hand, tool, and surface. That dark patch at the bottom left is interesting, it's like he stopped for a second to think, digging the pencil into the page. This piece reminds me of sketches by Philip Guston, where the process of making is laid bare. It’s all about the journey, not the destination, a celebration of the beauty found in the act of looking and drawing.