Witte bloem in een glas 1874 - 1945

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this watercolor work, "Witte Bloem in een Glas," or "White Flower in a Glass," on paper at an unknown date. This simple scene of a flower in a glass resonates with the visual language of the still life, a genre that was shaped by the rise of the Dutch middle class in the seventeenth century. Still lifes are rarely just about representation, but communicate social and cultural values of their time. Although no date is given, this work relates to the artist’s wider oeuvre made in the Netherlands in the late 19th and early 20th century. The sparse composition and muted palette can be read within a wider context of early modern art, where artists were increasingly concerned with challenging the traditional academic standards of beauty. To understand the place of this painting in the history of art, it's important to look not only at the artist's biography, but also the institutions and artistic movements of his time. The resources of social and cultural history help to bring the work to life.