Ontwerpen c. 1905

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this sketch, entitled "Ontwerpen," probably in his sketchbook, and definitely with a pencil. I love a drawing that is unapologetically a drawing, where the hand of the artist is so visible, and the process is laid bare. It's like, here's the scaffolding, the bones of the thing, and that's enough. The thin lines, scratched onto the page, they don't try to hide their imperfections. See how the lines wobble and fade, how the angles aren't quite perfect? I find that so much more appealing than some slick, photorealistic rendering. It's a reminder that art is about process, about thinking through making, and not just about achieving a perfect end result. It reminds me a little of some of Matisse's drawings, where he's just feeling out the form with his line, letting the drawing breathe and find its own way. Art is a conversation, right? We're all just riffing off each other, trying to make sense of the world in our own way.