Twee zittende vrouwen c. 1930 - 1938

Editor: This is "Twee zittende vrouwen," or "Two Seated Women," a drawing made with ink by Carel Adolph Lion Cachet around 1930 to 1938, housed right here at the Rijksmuseum. It feels like a fleeting moment captured, almost unfinished. What captures your attention in this sketch? Curator: Ah, Cachet! You know, it’s funny, this drawing almost feels like eavesdropping on a private conversation, doesn’t it? The lines are so sparse, so immediate. He’s not trying to give us all the details, just the bare essence. Makes you wonder what they're talking about, doesn't it? What kind of world do you think they live in? Editor: That's a great way to put it. The unfinished quality does make you invent a narrative. I wonder about the contrast between the detailed face in the foreground and the almost abstract figures in the background. Curator: Good eye! It's as if Cachet wants us to focus on that immediate presence, while the others are fading away, memories perhaps? It really pulls you in, doesn't it? Also, it makes me think of Degas in a way. What do you think about this drawing and modern art? Editor: I see what you mean! Modern art does love these glimpses of ordinary life elevated to art. Cachet’s capture is immediate, raw and relatable. It's less about perfection and more about capturing a feeling. Curator: Precisely! And it's interesting how that imperfection, that raw quality, is what makes it so evocative. You see so much in so little, almost like poetry! It gives the art so much intimacy. Editor: Definitely given me a new way to look at a "simple" sketch. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. And thank *you* for the conversation. I am glad we are sharing perspectives, and that makes us notice so much more.