Robert Tanitch reviews War Map by Philip Curtis & Jakob Sondergard Pedersen (Sifton, Praed & Co).
Pictorial Conflict Maps 1900-1950 cover Boer War, Russian Civil War, World Wars 1 and 2 and Korean War with arresting caricatures of stereotypes.
Cartoons have always been used for propaganda. These striking graphic satires, powerful and brutal, had and still have an immediate dramatic and patriotic response. Britain is represented not only as John Bull but also as a crocodile. Russia is represented not only as a bear but also by an octopus, a ferocious giant and steamroller. Turkey is represented as an elephant.
High spots include Fred Rose’s vivid John Bull and His Friends, Walter Emanuel’s savage and unleashed canines in Hark Hark The Dogs Do Bark and J H Amschewitz’s rallying cry, Kill that Eagle.
Outstanding are Karl Lehmann-Dumont’s Humoristche Karte von Europe I’m Jahre 1914, a frightening, convulsive ménage of snarling marauding beasts, and Andre Huguenim’s elegant monochrome Theatre de la Guerre Europeenne 1915 with Europe made out of the heads of state.
War Map will be published on 6 October. There is an accompanying exhibition at The Map House 54 Beauchamp Place, London SW3 from 23 September until 18th November.
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