Portretkoppen van Joanna Lion Cachet-Cordes c. 1935 - 1940

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this sketch of Joanna Lion Cachet-Cordes using ink on paper. You can see the artist figuring things out, allowing for mistakes, as part of the process. It’s not about perfection, but about exploring the possibilities of the subject. I’m drawn to the delicate, almost tentative quality of the lines. They’re not bold or assertive, but rather gentle and searching. The ink is light, barely there in places, creating a sense of transparency and openness. Look at the way he suggests the form of the faces with just a few strokes, hinting at the underlying structure without fully defining it. It’s like he’s inviting us to fill in the blanks, to complete the picture in our own minds. The way the lines are drawn reminds me of Matisse, especially his line drawings. But where Matisse is confident and assured, there’s a vulnerability and openness in this sketch. And that’s what makes it so compelling. It’s a reminder that art is not about answers but about questions, about embracing ambiguity and uncertainty.