Werkloosheid 1920 - 1930

Here's a drawing titled Werkloosheid, by Patricq Kroon. The title is written at the top, and you can see the Dutch word for Unemployment emblazoned across the top of the image. It's a flurry of hatching and cross-hatching marks, a kind of frantic energy that feels both controlled and wild. Look at the way the lines build up to create depth and shadow, especially around the eyes. It's like Kroon is carving into the paper, excavating these faces from the void, you can really feel the pressure of the pen. The faces themselves are fascinating, these two worried looking men, are they politicians? They seem caught in a moment of anxiety or maybe even disbelief. There's a tension between the precision of the linework and the overall sense of unease. The drawing reminds me of George Grosz. Both artists used caricature and bold lines to satirize political figures. Ultimately Kroon's work feels like an ongoing conversation about power, society, and the human condition, a conversation that continues to evolve with each new mark and gesture.