Notitie c. 1930

Curator: Before us we have a drawing titled "Notitie," which translates to "Note," by Carel Adolph Lion Cachet, created around 1930. It’s ink on paper and part of the Rijksmuseum collection. My first thought is, there's so much intimacy to something like this. A personal thought made visible, you know? Editor: Absolutely, there's an immediacy, an almost fragile quality that draws you in. I am captured by how handwriting serves as the most direct expression, so raw and personal—it's fascinating! The choice of script, the pressure of the ink, it's practically a fingerprint. What are these words, exactly? Curator: Well, deciphering the old script is a bit like archaeology of the soul. It seems like a reflection on virtue, speaking of honest ships and strength in vulnerability. Phrases such as "learn help readily and in gentle courage!" appear, and further below: "Until the end, concealed in beauty." The writing itself mirrors the sentiment; there are dense thick fonts together with small lettering fading out almost invisibly, reflecting the transience it alludes to, which ties into traditional symbols. Editor: Ah, I see! It's an interesting layering – the very act of writing embodying the themes it explores. So, even if we struggle with the precise translation, the visual echoes reinforce these notions of beauty, truth, and resilience. It also uses the ship as a potent symbol, common in Dutch art. Curator: Cachet seemed fascinated by calligraphy, viewing it not just as writing but a distinct form of art. So what are your thoughts, knowing these aspects of his intent and approach? Editor: That knowledge deepens the experience immensely. We're not just looking at text, we are invited to contemplate time itself, which softens all the edges—much as beauty conceals what could otherwise overwhelm. These symbols of perseverance provide something very hopeful in the face of transience. Curator: Exactly. Cachet gifts us with a whisper across time. It’s fascinating to consider that what may have started as a personal, quiet observation can resonate so loudly in our age of digital cacophony. Editor: A small, precious note—containing within it a wealth of symbols, and so, a path into cultural memory and, strangely enough, the continuity of human experience.