De Notenkraker, 22 juni 1907 / Na de overwinning Possibly 1907

This is ‘Na de Overwinning’ by Albert Hahn, printed on June 22, 1907. It’s a political cartoon made with stark monochrome lithography, relying on contrast and sharp lines. Looking at it, I’m struck by the texture Hahn achieves. It’s all in the hatching, the density of lines that build up the shadows on the figures. Notice the face of the central figure – how the lines around his mouth and eyes create such a sense of smugness. It's like he's carved into the paper. That kind of precision is rare. The whole image is a study in how much you can say with so little. The ranks of people in the background are rendered with a shorthand of quick, repetitive marks, creating a mass of shadowy figures, and then in contrast there’s the more elaborate foreground. There’s something about the way he handles tone and volume that feels very Goya-esque to me, but with a tighter, more controlled line. Art, it’s all just one big conversation.