Ontwerp met staande vrouw met ruiters aan weerszijden 1874 - 1945

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this drawing with pen and brush in ink, probably fairly quickly. The artist seems to be using the grid underneath to arrange the composition, and its symmetry. The ink is applied in washes, pooling in some areas and drying lighter in others. There’s real energy to the application, the marks are loose and suggestive rather than detailed, and it feels like the artist is feeling their way through the subject matter. There are thin orange lines which look like they have been applied with a coloured pencil. See how they loosely define the edges of the arched forms around the central figure, providing an alternative reading of the composition. In many ways this reminds me of the work of Philip Guston, especially his later works where he seems to be rediscovering the joy of drawing and mark making. Like Guston, Cachet embraces the imperfections and the unfinished quality of the work, allowing us to see the process of its creation. Ultimately art is about conversation, it’s a back and forth that occurs across time and between artists.