Als soldaat verklede adelaar zit op een tank 1933 - 1945

Editor: This intriguing sketch, "Als soldaat verklede adelaar zit op een tank," or "Eagle Dressed as Soldier Sitting on a Tank," was created by Henk Henriët sometime between 1933 and 1945. It's currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. I'm struck by how dreamlike, or maybe even nightmarish, the image feels. There's a satirical edge to it, but the overall tone is rather dark. What's your interpretation of this strange drawing? Curator: Oh, this piece! It always tickles my imagination. For me, it's a visual poem, you know? A very pointed one, reflecting the absurdity of war. I see Henriët using caricature as a weapon, turning this powerful eagle—often a symbol of strength—into a slightly ridiculous, almost pathetic figure perched atop its war machine. Those little figures surrounding the tank seem to point out that those with the "power" look foolish atop all of that, no? He's stripping away the glory and revealing, perhaps, a tragic farce. Do you feel that sense of tragic farce here, too? Editor: Absolutely! Now that you mention it, there is something inherently tragic about the ridiculousness of the scene. The little devilish creature perched on the eagle's shoulder reinforces that sense of dark humor, right? Curator: Precisely! That devil is like the artist whispering in our ear, saying, "Don't take this too seriously, but *do* take it seriously." There is such a feeling of chaos in such an organized drawing. Editor: Looking at it that way, I’m understanding how seemingly simple sketches can be layered with meaning, reflecting both the artist's personal feelings and the broader historical context. Curator: And isn't that the delicious paradox of art? It captures both the fleeting and the eternal in one fell swoop, using simple drawings that took some thought to make. Something seemingly ridiculous actually may hold deeper and complicated meaning.