Kerkramen c. 1905 - 1906

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this pencil drawing of church windows—"Kerkramen"—at an unknown date. Just looking at this, I imagine him in front of the windows, squinting, trying to capture the light. What does it feel like to draw something that's already there? It's like you're in conversation with it. He probably thought hard about translating a three-dimensional object onto a two-dimensional surface, deciding which details to include and exclude. I see a tension between precision and fluidity in the drawing. Some lines are sharp, defining the architectural structure, while others are looser. It feels like he's not just copying what he sees, but also interpreting it, making decisions based on feeling, too. The light and shadow create an intricate dance. There's something humble about it, a quiet attentiveness. And that’s what connects him to me, and all of us who make things.