Kerkramen c. 1905 - 1906

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this drawing of church windows, with pencil on paper. The overall effect is one of lightness, but look closely at the weight of the lines. Some areas are almost tentative, barely there, while others are reinforced with multiple strokes, giving a sense of depth and shadow. I can almost feel the artist figuring things out as he goes, responding to the emerging forms. The linear quality of the sketch gives it a blueprint-like quality, which makes me think about design as a process of problem solving, as much as creation. Notice how the window on the right is more developed and decorative than the one on the left. In the completed window, you can trace how the shapes overlap and intersect, creating new patterns within patterns. For me, this piece is more than just a preparatory drawing; it’s a record of a mind at work, a meditation on light and form. The graphic nature of the work reminds me of Hilma af Klint's drawings. It speaks to the way artists like Cachet and Klint see art as a journey without fixed meanings.