Kop van een meisje met krullend haar 1905 - 1906

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet made this drawing of a girl’s head with pencil. The looseness of the lines, the way they almost feel like they’re buzzing, tells me that the artist was really in the moment. There's no attempt to hide the process, you know? The lines are tentative, searching, like Cachet is thinking through the form as he draws. Look at the girl's hair. It’s all scribbles and loops, but somehow it captures the lightness and volume of curls. The shading is subtle, almost like a whisper. It reminds me a bit of some of Matisse’s drawings, where he’s just trying to get the essence of a thing with as few lines as possible. It’s not about perfection, it’s about capturing a feeling, an impression. And that’s what makes it so alive.