De miljoenenvloot, 1922 1922

Patricq Kroon made this drawing titled ‘De miljoenenvloot’ in 1922, probably using ink on paper. The image seems to have been created from a flurry of marks, the artist capturing the likenesses of four men with great caricature. I wonder what Kroon was thinking as he made this drawing? He must have been smiling as he worked! The lines are so sure, so deftly handled, and so economical, it is a joy to behold. The artist is making a political point here, but there's also a feeling of play, the joy of mark-making and the pleasure of art. The man at the front—look at his bulging eyes and awkward stance. He bends under the weight of the words on the sign—'Million Fleet' it reads. His presence is heightened by the three men standing behind him. I particularly like the figure in the top left, his mouth turned upwards. The artist has captured a sense of sly humour with just a few lines. Kroon's work shows the potential of art to reflect and comment on the world. All art is a conversation across time. So much can be said through ink and paper.