Ontwerp voor een monumentale bank met het wapen van Haarlem 1874 - 1945

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this design for a monumental bench with the coat of arms of Haarlem with pen and brush in grey ink. I love the way the ink bleeds into the paper, especially in the foliage of the trees. It’s as if the monument is part of the organic matter of the park. It makes me think about city planning: how do we strike a balance between organic and geometric, designed and chance? The bench itself is rendered with swift strokes, confident and assured. It feels very much of its time, the early 20th century, when artists and designers were trying to create a new visual language for a rapidly changing world. You get the sense Cachet is thinking about public space. He is proposing a place for community, rest, and reflection. It makes you wonder how our own public spaces today measure up. Is there beauty? Is there a bench to sit and think?