Minister Aalberse en protectie 1923 - 1925

Patricq Kroon made this satirical drawing of Minister Aalberse with ink on paper. It’s like a snapshot of a political moment, with Aalberse grandly presenting "protection" to a crowd of dogs, each labeled with different sectors of the economy. I love the way Kroon uses line here, it’s so varied and expressive, almost frantic in places, like the artist is thinking out loud. Look at the frenzied scribbles that make up the dogs' fur, compared to the solid, authoritative lines of Aalberse's suit. It’s all surface, but it’s a surface buzzing with meaning. I wonder what tools he used: a fine nib for the detail on Aalberse’s face, and something broader, maybe a reed pen, for those wild, shaggy coats? This reminds me of Honoré Daumier, another artist who fearlessly skewered the political elite. Both artists see art as a kind of social commentary, a way to hold power accountable. There’s so much to unpack here, but maybe that’s the point—art isn’t about easy answers, it’s about asking questions.