Handwerkende Joanna Lion Cachet-Cordes c. 1935 - 1940

Curator: This pen and ink drawing, held in the Rijksmuseum, offers an intimate glimpse into the artistic process. Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this sketch, titled "Handwerkende Joanna Lion Cachet-Cordes," sometime between 1935 and 1940. What impressions does it evoke for you? Editor: Well, initially it feels… tentative, doesn’t it? A whispered idea more than a bold declaration. Like catching a fleeting thought on paper, barely there but brimming with potential. It's as if the artist were hesitant to fully commit, or perhaps captured it quickly, you know, without much refinement. Curator: Exactly! The quick, almost frantic lines create a sense of movement and immediacy. It’s part of what one might call his "idea generation sketch" which, viewed in another way, reveals an intense connection between hand, eye, and subject. The repeated lines, the searching strokes – they’re a visual representation of the artist’s mind at work. A sketchbook, if nothing else, can act as both receptacle and stimulus. Editor: You're spot on! It does give insight into an active brain. Now, what really grabs me are these hints of shadow he implies. Notice how minimal it is? How he trusts our eyes to fill in what's missing. I can almost feel the weight and warmth. Curator: Symbolically, consider how a sketch itself represents potential – the unformed, the yet-to-be-realized. It reflects the artistic journey from conception to completion. Each line carries a piece of the artist’s intention, their hope, their uncertainty. And with portraits, one must be mindful about presentation and likeness, but the rough sketch aesthetic adds an appealing intimacy and immediacy to the portrait. Editor: Oh, definitely. You’ve hit upon something, I think. It has me thinking about how sketches have almost this rebellious energy – like they're defying the polished art world, shouting, "Hey, I'm not finished, but I'm honest!" Which brings it to my final consideration. When viewing a quick piece, I wonder if there is value in simply stopping and appreciating the immediacy it projects without seeking hidden meanings behind its unfinished exterior? Curator: It's certainly a valid point. Allowing ourselves to be present with the piece, recognizing its raw energy, can be its own reward. After all, an art piece and an individual must co-exist in a temporal plane in order to appreciate one another. Thank you for providing fresh eyes and interpretation. Editor: Thanks to you as well for the chance to get cerebral. It can be rewarding in its own way!