Kop van een man met een snor 1895

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this sketch of a man with a mustache using graphite on paper. The grainy texture of the graphite creates an unfinished quality, as though the artist has captured a fleeting moment. The strokes are rough and uneven, giving the impression of a quickly executed study. You can see smudges and blurs, the trace of the artist's hand as they worked. Graphite as a material allowed Cachet the freedom to explore tone and form through the contrast of light and shadow. What’s interesting to consider is how this material can be seen as a break from fine art traditions. The use of graphite and paper, both relatively inexpensive and accessible materials, democratizes the artistic process, and signals a shift towards valuing spontaneity, and the immediacy of capturing everyday scenes. Ultimately, by choosing humble materials, Cachet elevated the sketch to a form of art, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.