Handwerkende vrouw en een lezende man in een leunstoel c. 1930

This is a sketch by Carel Adolph Lion Cachet, at the Rijksmuseum, portraying a woman sewing and a man reading. The juxtaposition of labor and leisure, domesticity and intellect, is a timeless theme, but it's the act of reading itself that fascinates me. The image of a man engrossed in a book echoes through art history. Consider the countless depictions of scholars and saints with their texts, their faces illuminated by the light of knowledge. Yet, here, the casual pose introduces something new. Reading is no longer a sacred act but a moment of personal indulgence. This shift in meaning isn't linear. It spirals, resurfacing in different forms. The book, once a symbol of divine wisdom, now reflects individual growth and entertainment. This is how cultural memory works—symbols evolve, influenced by our collective experiences and subconscious desires.