Koppen van giraffen c. 1930

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet created this drawing, "Koppen van giraffen," using ink on paper. The thin, dark lines capture the essence of the giraffes with remarkable efficiency, almost as if the artist were trying to capture the animals in motion. The medium of ink on paper lends itself to spontaneity. There is no erasing, therefore each line is left as a visible trace of the artist's hand. Note how the artist captures subtle variations in the giraffes’ forms by applying this technique. The quick and fluid gestures suggest that this drawing might have been made 'en plein air', in the tradition of 19th-century naturalist observation. This work stands apart from the painstaking labor often associated with fine art. Its immediacy invites us to consider how Cachet balanced artistic expression with direct engagement, blurring the lines between observation, documentation, and creative process.