Man met een baard zittend in een stoel c. 1895 - 1900

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this sketch of a bearded man in a chair with pencil on paper. The rapid lines suggest the artist was more interested in capturing the essence of the figure than in creating a detailed portrait. Cachet was Dutch and lived through a period of significant social and political change. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Netherlands saw the rise of socialist and labor movements. While this sketch doesn't explicitly engage with these movements, it's worth considering the social context in which it was made. Was Cachet interested in depicting everyday people? Was he making a statement about class or social status through his choice of subject matter? The Rijksmuseum, as a national institution, plays a role in shaping our understanding of Dutch art and history. To fully understand this work, we might look at Cachet's other drawings and paintings, read his personal letters, and research the social and political climate of the Netherlands during his lifetime.