Kerkramen c. 1905 - 1906

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this drawing of church windows with pencil, at some point in his life. The lines are so delicate, aren’t they? Thin and almost tentative, like he’s feeling his way around the shapes, and around the idea of these windows. The four windows he sketched each have their own character, slightly different curves, slightly different ways of dividing up the space. I’m drawn to the lower left window, the one with the darkest shading and the word ‘Herbouwd’ above it. The shading gives it a sense of depth, like you could almost step into it. I wonder what that word means? It’s all about light, the way it filters through the glass, the way it shapes the space. Looking at it, I’m reminded of Agnes Martin’s subtle pencil grids – the quiet intensity of simple lines. Ultimately, Cachet's drawing is an invitation to see the world a little differently, to appreciate the beauty in the everyday, and to recognize the potential for transformation in the simplest of forms.