Joanna Lion Cachet-Cordes zittend in een stoel c. 1935 - 1940

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this pencil sketch, Joanna Lion Cachet-Cordes sitting in a chair, sometime during his life. It’s a study, a glimpse, a scribble of a moment. I love seeing these works on paper, it makes art feel more like something anyone can do. The beauty in this drawing lies in its raw, process-oriented approach. The texture is immediately apparent, the rough tooth of the paper coming through the graphite. You can almost feel the artist’s hand moving quickly, capturing the essence of the sitter with a series of hatched lines and scribbled marks. There’s a tension between the carefully observed details and the areas left unresolved. The face is rendered with a delicate precision, while the rest of the figure is suggested through a network of energetic strokes. I’m reminded of work by Manet, the way he leaves parts unfinished, letting the viewer’s eye complete the picture. It’s not about perfection, it’s about the act of seeing and recording, embracing the beauty of imperfection and the power of suggestion.