Gedenkplaat vijftig jaar onafhankelijkheid van het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden, 1813-1863 1863

This anonymous line drawing, titled 'Ontwerpwet op het Lager Onderwijs,' dates from 1876 and is currently held in the Rijksmuseum. A series of figures are shown skating on ice. They create a chain, pulling something towards a sort of finishing line which has a flag and some shrubbery. The composition is defined by a diagonal thrust, countered by the verticality of the figures and the flag. This arrangement sets up a tension which is a metaphor for the theme of this drawing. The use of line is economical, yet precise, defining forms and textures with a sense of movement. This drawing is a structural expression. The diagonal is a vector which signifies resistance, the linear progression of the figures is thwarted by the surface. Does the artist wish to challenge our understanding of social progress, and the structures that dictate social and political events? It provides a critical perspective on the relationship between social structures and the individual.