WW1 ERA FRAMED BELGIAN PRINT/CARTOON THE PRISONERS LOUIS RAEMAEKER

Description

WW1 ERA FRAMED BELGIAN PRINT/CARTOON THE PRISONERS LOUIS RAEMAEKER
The Prisoners, by Louis Raemaeker. Circa 1919.
Printed and published by Geo. Pulman & Sons Ltd., London for “Land and Water.”
Overall the print measures approximately 15 ¾” X 19 ½”.
Image size is 9 ¾” X 12 1/3”.
The print is framed under glass. I can ship the piece with or without the glass.
History of Raemaeker
“Louis Raemaekers was a Dutch painter and editorial cartoonist for the Amsterdam newspaper De Telegraaf during World War I, noted for his anti-German stance.
Born: April 6, 1869, Roermond, Netherlands
Died: July 26, 1956, Scheveningen, South Holland, Netherlands
During the First World War, Dutch editorial cartoonist Louis Raemaekers was a fierce critic of the German invasion of Belgium and France. He played a key role in Allied propaganda with his internationally acclaimed war cartoons. In 1917, Raemaekers travelled across the United States in order to persuade Americans to support intervention in the war.
At the outbreak of the First World War, when the German army invaded
Belgium
, Raemaekers’ keen sense of justice led him to take the side of the weakest. He expressed himself in scathing, dramatic cartoons for the Dutch newspaper
De Telegraaf
that quickly found an audience. His attitude, coupled with his fierce drawings attracted the attention of the Dutch government, who carefully monitored the
neutral
status of the Netherlands. When Raemaekers clearly pointed his finger at
Germany
as the brutal invaders of Belgium and
France
, one of his drawings was confiscated. However, Dutch law permitted such accusations as long as the country was not in state of war, so Raemaekers was never formally accused.
Raemaekers’ cartoons quickly drew the attention of neighbouring countries and the foreign press. In
occupied Belgium
, they were published in clandestine newspapers like
La Cravache
,
De Vrije Stem
and
Patrie!.
In
Britain
and France, they appeared in the
Daily Mail
and
Le Journal
. His first exhibition in London opened in December 1915, attracted many visitors, and received kudos from the press. In France, small albums of picture postcards earned him fame, and in early 1916, he was awarded a medal of the Legion of Honour.
The
German government
had also become aware of this critic of their war operations, even to the point where they apparently issued a price on his head, although this has never been confirmed by a German source. Nevertheless, this legend became a major factor when Raemaekers moved to London and was engaged by Britain’s
War Propaganda Bureau
(also known as Wellington House) to play a key role in Allied
propaganda
efforts. The fact that Raemaekers was citizen of a neutral country and had irritated the Germans, convinced the public that his observations of the alleged German
atrocities
were true.
From 1916 onward, his work appeared in pamphlets and albums, and on posters and cigarette cards. His drawings were even recreated
as tableaux vivants
, and British artists drew copies of his cartoons before live audiences. Wellington House issued
Raemaekers Cartoons
with a collection of his best work, a leaflet that was translated into eighteen languages and distributed around the world; dozens of exhibitions were organised on all five continents.
[1]
During his trip to the
United States
in 1917, hundreds of
American newspapers
published Raemaekers’ cartoons. He brought the atrocities of the war into American homes. Soon, the public, not always fully aware of what had happened on those far away battlefields, endorsed the American declaration of war. The popularisation of his work is regarded as one of the largest propaganda efforts of the First World War.
[2]
Raemaekers gave countless interviews and spoke to numerous influential Americans, acquiring a reputation as “the one man who, without any assistance of title or office, indubitably swayed the destinies of peoples...”.
[3]
Auction Terms and Payment Information
There is an inspection period of 14 days in which the buyer may return the item (buyer pays shipping & insurance for return) after receipt.
The item(s) must be received in the same condition as sent.
The amount of the original purchase price will then be refunded.
In the event of damage from shipping, the buyer agrees to pursue collection of insurance with the post office.
Buyer to pay shipping and insurance (if desired).
Please feel free to email me with any questions prior to the close of the auction.
Thank you for your time and interest.