Krushchev 1957

Herbert Lawrence Block, or Herblock, as he was known, made this drawing of Krushchev with graphite on paper. You can see Herblock’s working process so clearly in this drawing, in the way he has allowed the marks of erasure to remain visible, or in the density of hatching and cross-hatching he has used to build up his tonal range. The cartoon presents a caricature of Krushchev gleefully doffing his cap, with a golf club in one hand and a golf ball flying through the air, and the artist's process is central to how the drawing communicates its message. The layering of graphite creates a gritty texture that amplifies the biting satire and sardonic wit of the image. I love the way the artist has used an almost brutal economy of line to define the figure, especially in the face, and how these marks are allowed to remain visible. This economy and exaggeration is not dissimilar to the work of Philip Guston, another artist with a love for the political cartoon. Just as there are multiple interpretations of Guston’s hooded figures, so Herblock’s Krushchev invites reflection and debate.