Grote paradijsvogel 1928

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this watercolor drawing of a bird-of-paradise, probably in the late 19th or early 20th century. It's all about process; you can see the artist figuring things out as he goes, mixing these vibrant colours. Look at the head, where the blues and greens bleed into each other. The paint is thin, transparent, like a stain, and it lets the paper breathe. The golden plumes are looser, more gestural. It’s like he’s trying to capture the essence of the bird, not just its likeness. The way he’s made the notes around the bird – it all adds to the sense of discovery. It reminds me a little of Audubon’s bird studies, but with a more personal, almost obsessive touch. It's less about scientific accuracy and more about the sheer joy of looking and recording. To me, that's what makes art so endlessly fascinating - it's a conversation that never really ends.