Ornament c. 1897 - 1898

Curator: Welcome. We're looking at a page from a sketchbook by Carel Adolph Lion Cachet, titled "Ornament," created around 1897 to 1898. It’s a pencil drawing on what appears to be toned paper, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Immediately, the asymmetry strikes me. The patterns and shapes give a primitive, almost totemic feeling. Are these doodles precursors to something larger? Curator: Possibly. Cachet was interested in the crafts, so a sketchbook page gives insights into his design processes and perhaps some influences. I think his interests lay particularly with bookbinding and carpet design. You can see elements here that resemble abstracted textile patterns, right? The nature of homemade paper and light pencil work would certainly lend itself to transferring ideas from sketchbook to large-scale tapestry works. Editor: Yes, absolutely. I notice repeating diamond shapes – symbols of potential and strength in various cultures. And those swirling, almost floral forms at the top--there’s a definite art nouveau sensibility here. Perhaps they hint at themes of growth and the organic world. There’s a clear symbolic intent beyond mere decoration. Curator: I'm particularly interested in how the material itself influences the design. The aged paper, the slight imperfections, these aren’t accidental. They show his awareness and careful control over materials; he embraced these factors rather than trying to hide them. Editor: It feels like the start of a deeper symbolic language that has origins from nature as the lines hint at branches and leaves with geometric foundations – it's a foundation for how to weave such an abstract concept into physical artforms, right? The medium reinforces the message, providing an authentic connection. Curator: I agree. Seeing the sketch like this makes us rethink our relationship to the finished "product." By focusing on what the sketchbook tells us of technique and making, we consider not just Cachet's finished carpets and textiles, but we honor how each element impacted the last. Editor: Precisely. Ultimately, this humble sketch offers a portal into understanding art across culture, and maybe, seeing fragments of stories and connections emerge across different groups, cultures, even, maybe, psychological conditions. Curator: A fantastic starting point indeed!