Mussolini in Nederland 1922 - 1929

Patricq Kroon drew this cartoon, "Mussolini in Nederland," with what looks like pencil, and maybe some ink. I love that you can really see the hand of the artist in these kinds of drawings. It’s loose, nothing is too perfect; like that cloud of birds floating from Mussolini’s mouth, or the wonky windmills behind him. Kroon’s mark-making feels really immediate, like he was just letting it all hang out on the page. The cloud shapes under Mussolini's feet mirror the sheep in the foreground, visually linking the political leader to his docile followers, it's an interesting comparison. I feel like I can almost see Kroon thinking as he’s drawing, and that’s what keeps me coming back to art – that sense of a real person behind it, and how art is an ongoing conversation. It reminds me of Honoré Daumier's political cartoons - that same kind of satirical edge. Ultimately, Kroon’s cartoon invites us to look critically at the narratives we're presented with, and to find our own perspective.