Rusland lokt landen uit China 1900 - 1935

Patricq Kroon made this drawing with pen on paper, depicting 'Russia Luring Countries from China'. It feels immediate and raw, like you're catching Kroon in the act of thinking. The marks aren't precious, they're urgent, almost clumsy, which gives the work a real sense of honesty. Look at how the lines vary in thickness. The hatching creates shadows on the Russian soldier’s coat, there is an intentionality to these marks that is captivating. I find myself drawn to the character second from the front, the strange hat, the downturned mouth; it’s such a caricature, and the artist gives him the same attention as the main protagonist. Kroon reminds me a little of George Grosz, with the heavy lines and satirical bent, but there's something more playful, less biting, in Kroon’s work, allowing us to appreciate the absurd theater of politics.