Hoofd van een jongen en studie van een been 1874 - 1945

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this drawing of a boy's head and a leg study, on paper, sometime around the turn of the 20th century. The apparent informality of such a sketch belies the institutional structures behind it. Cachet was Dutch, trained in decorative arts, and he made his name designing for steamship companies, in a period when global travel was becoming more accessible for the middle classes. Here, though, he seems to be making something for himself, perhaps returning to the life drawing that was a staple of academic art training. The Rijksmuseum, where this is housed, plays an important role in Dutch cultural life, and the status of this drawing is elevated by its presence in the collection, as are the reputations of both the artist and the sitter. Looking at the work of art historians can help us understand more about Cachet, his place in Dutch culture, and the ways institutions like art schools and museums have shaped both artistic production and its reception.