Meisje in schoolbank 1874 - 1945

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this drawing of a girl at a school desk using black ink. The composition has a stark contrast between the figure and the background which gives it a graphic quality. You can see the girl from behind, head bent in concentration. I imagine the artist observing her in the classroom, trying to capture a fleeting moment of contemplation. Look at how the ink bleeds and pools in certain areas, creating variations in tone and texture. The sleeves have a hypnotic quality, and are patterned with polka dots, which are also like drops or tears, or even cells! The artist must have been thinking about the contrast between the girl’s interior world and the structured environment of the classroom. The artist's sensitivity resonates with the work of other artists like Paula Modersohn-Becker, who also explored themes of girlhood and inner life in their work. We can all find ourselves in the girls' experience, being in a classroom! And how there is always a tension between wanting to conform and be yourself.