Reus, kleine figuren en drie gezichten c. 1936 - 1940

This pencil drawing, "Reus, kleine figuren en drie gezichten," or "Giant, small figures and three faces," is by Henk Henriët. Henriët died in 1945, the same year the Netherlands was liberated from German occupation. The drawing presents a series of faces and figures. The giant is the most prominent. His body is adorned with what looks like royal attire. Three other faces are drawn on the periphery. Below the giant are small, indistinct figures. It is hard not to see the giant as a symbol of power and authority. Henriët lived through a time of immense upheaval and social change. His art offers a view into how power can both dominate and be subverted. The small figures at the base of the drawing may represent the common person. Their physical distance from the giant hints at their social distance from power. This drawing encapsulates a tension between the individual and the state, reflecting Henriët's personal experiences during wartime.