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

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made these head studies of Joanna Lion Cachet-Cordes with pen on paper. I imagine he was sitting across from her, trying to capture her essence with his pen strokes. Look at these quick, spontaneous lines forming her face and hair. There's a sense of immediacy, of trying to capture a fleeting moment. I wonder what their relationship was like? Was it a tender moment of artistic exploration, or a more formal portrait session? I imagine the artist, pen in hand, circling around her face, trying to pin down the light in her eyes, the curve of her cheek. It reminds me of other artists who've used drawing to get to know their subjects. Each gesture feels like a little decision, a little experiment. And you can see the pentimenti – where the artist changed his mind, redrawing a line, adding a shadow. It’s like you’re witnessing the artist thinking through the act of drawing, working out what matters.