Plic en Ploc 1894 - 1959

This is a drawing called ‘Plic en Ploc’ by an artist known only as Monogrammist G.J., and it’s made with some kind of printmaking technique in black ink and a simple colour palette. It’s interesting how the artist uses a simple line to create all these different figures and scenes. There’s a real sense of movement, like the guy running away from the lion. The colors are flat and kind of old-fashioned, which gives it a vintage feel. Look at the lion – you can see the texture of the paper coming through the ink. It reminds me a little of Daumier, with its sense of social commentary, but it’s also got this playful, circus-like quality, maybe something like Picasso’s harlequins. It’s like the artist is saying that art is a conversation that never ends.