Miljoenen binnengehaald voor het bijzonder onderwijs 1917

Patricq Kroon made this political cartoon with ink on paper at an unknown date. The bold, graphic style feels immediate, like a quick sketch dashed off with urgency, but the details in the faces and shoes show real care. I love how Kroon isn't afraid to leave the paper raw and untouched. This creates a stark contrast with the areas of dense, solid black, like the figure's robe and hat. Look at the way the ink bleeds slightly around the edges, giving the forms a soft, almost fuzzy quality. There is a beautiful push and pull between precision and looseness, control and accident. Focus on the bag they are carrying: the dark cross-hatched lines create the form of the sack, but also suggest its weight and texture. Kroon is making a point here, but leaving it open for interpretation. It’s all about feeling your way through, isn’t it? Like in the work of George Grosz and Otto Dix, nothing is ever quite resolved. Art is a conversation, a question mark hanging in the air.