Poster with two images, on the left by Chávez Morado relating to when the USSR conquers imperialist interests (Hitler on his knees, Mussolini at left etc) and at right by Anguiano, regarding the situation in Mexico and the reactions of her putative sons

José Chávez Morado|Taller de Gráfica Popular|Raúl Anguiano

1939 · Lithograph on buff paper back with linen · Drawings and Prints

This complicated political caricature broadly refers to the 1939 Winter War in Europe and its repercussions in Mexico. At left a heroic Russian soldier confronts European political leaders (Neville Chamberlain, Benito Mussolini, Édouard Daladier, and Leon Trotsky) and grips a broken umbrella that symbolizes Finland, whose tiny army took on the mighty Soviet force. A confused Hitler holds his head while the League of Nations, pictured as a barking dog, menaces him after the Nazis invaded Poland. The woman at right embodies imperialism, and the parrots screaming, "Communists," at two workers represent conservative Mexican newspapers. The text below criticizes the Mexican press, describing its members as "putative sons" in wordplay that is intentionally close to hijos de puta (sons of whores). Esta complicada caricatura política hace referencia a la guerra de Invierno de 1939 y a sus repercusiones en México. A la izquierda, un heroico soldado ruso planta cara a varios líderes políticos europeos (Neville Chamberlain, Benito Mussolini, Édouard Daladier y León Trotski) y sujeta un paraguas roto que simboliza a Finlandia, cuyo diminuto ejército se enfrentó a las poderosas fuerzas soviéticas. Un confuso Hitler se lleva la mano a la cabeza mientras la Sociedad de las Naciones, representada como un perro que ladra, lo amenaza tras la invasión nazi de Polonia. La mujer de la derecha encarna al imperialismo, y los loros que gritan «Comunistas» a dos obreros aluden a los periódicos conservadores mexicanos. El texto que aparece debajo critica a la prensa mexicana y describe a sus miembros como «hijos putativos» en un juego de palabras intencionadamente cercano a «hijos de puta».

Artist

José Chávez Morado|Taller de Gráfica Popular|Raúl Anguiano

Date

1939

Medium

Lithograph on buff paper back with linen

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1946