Boogconstructie c. 1905 - 1906

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this study of a "Boogconstructie" or arch construction, in graphite on paper. The beauty of this drawing lies in its simplicity. It's all about the process, right? Cachet isn’t trying to hide his marks; instead, each line is a step in understanding the architecture of the arch. Look at the layers of graphite, almost like he's thinking aloud on paper. The texture of the paper itself becomes part of the piece. The soft grey of the graphite against the warm off-white creates an atmosphere of quiet contemplation. See how some lines are bolder, more certain, while others are tentative, searching? It makes me think of the way we build our own ideas, layer by layer, until something solid emerges. Cachet's focus on the structure reminds me of the architectural drawings of someone like Piranesi. Both offer us an insight into the foundations of form. It’s in this ambiguity, this openness, that art really lives.