Jan Schaper en het anti-militarisme 1920 - 1930

Curator: This sketch, entitled "Jan Schaper en het anti-militarisme," created sometime between 1920 and 1930 by Patricq Kroon, presents a critical perspective on societal structures. It's rendered in pencil and pen, a choice that lends it an immediate, almost urgent feel. Editor: Gosh, the mood is definitely somber. A heavy weight of something...industrial? The scale is intriguing; a big scene packed onto small paper, or whatever this material is. Curator: Exactly. Notice how Kroon situates the figure of Jan Schaper—likely a commentary on the politician Jan Schaper, but perhaps representing broader societal participation—in front of industrial buildings belching smoke. We must consider the sociopolitical milieu in which this work emerged; a period marked by anxieties about industrialization and its relationship to war and national identity. The 'SOAP' inscription on the hat alludes, too, to the Sociological Worker's Party. Editor: And the birds flying from the smokestacks! Beautifully ominous touch! It's as though they're escaping or being vomited out. This whole contraption he's fiddling with - an elaborate, and futile trap I reckon. It's a snapshot of powerlessness in a pretty depressing disguise. Is that…'anti-militarisme' inscribed on it? It's hard to miss what side this art takes. Curator: Precisely. The composition draws attention to the futile attempts to address such an entrenched system and its links to early twentieth-century socio-political movements, while also referencing a common saying (I believe "De vogelaar met rulle fluijt") about the futility of some pursuits. The pen and ink here create almost an immediate effect. Editor: Looking at it now, the sketch feels both distant and remarkably timely. It's as though someone plucked an idea from my own thoughts and gave it form. You know what I mean? Like an emotional bullseye...with a historical context thrown in. Curator: I couldn't agree more. The work allows us to see how debates regarding militarism, identity, and power dynamics resonate through time and across political discourse. Editor: Definitely leaves you wondering: how much has really changed, and what am I going to do about it? Thanks for that peek into our history reflected back at us here.