Portretkop van Joanna Lion Cachet-Cordes c. 1935 - 1940

Curator: Looking at this pencil drawing, dating from around 1935 to 1940, titled "Portretkop van Joanna Lion Cachet-Cordes", the first thing that strikes me is its immediacy, its rawness. There’s an intimate vulnerability captured. Editor: Indeed. There's an apparent unfinished quality. Note the spiral binding, indicative of a sketchbook. We're not viewing a prepared presentation piece. This is the raw expression of the artist, Carel Adolph Lion Cachet, caught mid-process. Curator: Yes, it’s more than just an initial impression. The orientation, a face looking upwards, encourages a unique dynamic, inviting the gaze of the viewer. This, together with the contrast between rendered and sketchy forms creates a poignant interplay of elements. Observe how Cachet only suggested, yet neglected to fully depict the sitter’s torso. What meaning do we glean from this conscious selective articulation? Editor: It likely signifies an early study. We observe how only the head appears fully worked, how light models the brow and nose. One begins to sense Cachet prioritizing physiognomy – the angle of the jaw, the planes of her face – searching for character through form, hinting at prevailing views regarding beauty, and its perceived link to interior essence. It invites us to consider broader historical notions regarding the representation of women in portraiture at this time. Curator: I concur that such interpretation should also examine this artwork's formal syntax. Consider how these pencil lines contribute towards an overall aesthetic system that attempts to simulate reality through rudimentary shapes alone. The lack of color enhances this quality, focusing on shape, form, light and shade. Editor: Yet the reality being captured isn’t simply representational. Considering the historical backdrop of this era, nearing the Second World War, the unpolished style can speak to a certain disruption within artistic norms, and even resonate as an echo to political unrest, where more conventional presentations may seem inauthentic. What do we extract from it, now, divorced from the moment in time? Curator: Precisely! Viewed through contemporary lenses, Cachet's aesthetic yields fresh implications – an inquiry into both visual dynamics as well as profound reflections concerning selfhood itself. Editor: I think reflecting on it more holistically reveals its multi-layered beauty.