Κυριακή 25 Αυγούστου 2013

Louis Raemaekers, WW I propaganda cartoonist

A Toast to Kultur (1916)
Louis Raemaekers (1869–1956) was a Dutch painter and cartoonist for the Amsterdam Telegraaf during World War I, noted for his anti-German stance. His graphic cartoons depicted the rule of the German military in Belgium, portrayed the Germans as barbarians and Kaiser Wilhelm II as an ally of Satan. The German government offered a reward of 12,000 guilders for Raemaekers, dead or alive. The German government forced the Dutch government to place Raemaekers on trial for 'endangering Dutch neutrality', but a jury acquitted him. He later left for England because of the bounty on his head. There, his work was published in The Times and he released a collection, Raemaekers Cartoon History of the War, in 1919. His propaganda cartoons and posters were considered as influential during WW I for the German defeat.

THE HARVEST IS RIPE

THE GERMAN TANGO
"From East to West and West to East I dance with thee!"

German Navy attacking Allied nursing (1918)

Thrown to the Swine; The Martyred Nurse
The martyred Nurse is Edith Louisa Cavell (1865 – 1915) a British nurse and patriot. She is celebrated for saving the lives of soldiers from all sides without distinction and in helping some 200 Allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium during World War I, for which she was arrested. She was subsequently court-martialled, found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. Despite international pressure for mercy, she was shot by a German firing squad. Her execution received worldwide condemnation and extensive press coverage. She is well known for her statement that "patriotism is not enough". Her strong Anglican beliefs propelled her to help all those who needed it, both German and Allied soldiers. She was quoted as saying, "I can’t stop while there are lives to be saved." October 12 is appointed for her commemoration in the Anglican church, although this is not a "saint's feast day" in the traditional sense. Edith Cavell, who was 49 at the time of her execution, was already notable as a pioneer of modern nursing in Belgium.


Σάββατο 17 Αυγούστου 2013

Valere Bernard (1860-1936)


Valere Bernard (1860-1936) was a painter of Provence and French poet expression Occitan. He left an important graphic work and his works continued to be published after his death. His art belongs to symbolism and the dark/macabre themes had an anti-war message. Death was depicted having skull for head with a female body.






Σάββατο 10 Αυγούστου 2013

Freyja

Arthur Rackham (1910)
In Norse mythology, Freyja (Old Norse the “Lady”) is a goddess associated with love, sexuality, beauty, fertility, gold, seiðr (sorcery), war, and death. Freyja is the owner of the necklace Brísingamen, rides a chariot driven by two cats, owns the boar Hildisvíni, possesses a cloak of falcon feathers, and, by her husband Óðr, is the mother of two daughters, Hnoss and Gersemi.


Lorenz Frølich (1820 – 1908)

John Bauer (1911)

J. Doyle Penrose (1913)

Freyja in her chariot (1901)

Helen Stratton , A Book of Myths (1915)

Frölich, Lorentz (1820-1908)

John Bauer (1882–1918)

Louis Huard (1813-1874) , Freyja in the dwarfs' cave

Ludwig Pietsch (1874)

Nils Blommér (1853-1919)

Arthur Rackham (1910)

W.G. Collingwood (1854 - 1932) Freyja awakes Hyndla



Σάββατο 3 Αυγούστου 2013

Maximilian Pirner

Hekate (1901)
Maximilian Pirner (1854-1924) was a Czech painter. A member of the Vienna Secession and associated with the Czech Secession art movements, Pirner's usual themes were classical mythology (such as his Medusa (1891) and Hecate (or Hekate) (1901)) and the macabre (such as Sleepwalker (or Girl in Her Nightie Walks on the Window-Ledge) (1878), Daemon Love (1893), and Allegory of Death (1895)). Pirner also completed a number of sketches of female figures, many of them nudes.


Medusa (1891)



Allegory of Death (1895)

Sleepwalker (1878)

Finis (1893)