Polonaise before 1952

Johan van Hell made "Polonaise" with pen and ink. It looks like a marching band but, you know, in that slightly awkward, compressed way van Hell drew people. I can almost hear the oom-pah of the tuba. The artist probably stared intensely at the paper, adding these tiny little lines to build form. I bet it took hours. It makes you wonder what he was thinking about while he worked. I get the impression of a street band or something. He probably sketched people in situ or worked from his imagination, remembering the poses and the way that people in bands hold themselves with such intent. There is a kind of tenderness and attention given to each form, each musician, as they all jostle for space within the frame. Van Hell is in conversation with the work of Daumier. He's also thinking about how to represent the everyday, and he's taking the time to look closely.