Minister De Graaff en de petroleum 1919 - 1925

Patricq Kroon created this etching titled "Minister De Graaff en de petroleum." The technique of etching is important here; it's an intaglio printmaking process, where lines are incised into a metal plate to hold the applied ink and form the image. The density of etched lines creates shading, lending weight and volume to the figure of Minister De Graaff. Look closely, and you'll see the etched word "Petroleum" emblazoned across the glass stem, mocking the minister's affiliation with the oil industry. The glass is filled with a clear liquid. The artist's choice of etching imbues the artwork with a kind of graphic sharpness, playing with contrasts of light and shadow to create a satirical comment on the ties between politics and the petroleum industry. The medium itself, with its capacity for reproducibility, mirrors the mass production and dissemination of industrial goods, highlighting the intertwining of art, industry, and society.