Arthur Szyk drawing

Object | Accession Number: 1995.40.5

Overview

Brief Narrative: Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to World War II created in the United States. Matted image of very heavyset man referring to a masked man in suit, man in suit wearing armband saying "U.S. Fifth Column;" mat: written in graphite, top right hand corner, "1000," lower left corner, along edge, says "Arthur Szyk Ink Drawing 'U.S. Fifth Column' 1942." Signed "Arthur Szyk/N.Y. 42" in ink, lower right corner. Inscribed "All we risk is two years in jail and $1000 fine..." in graphite, lower left edge.
Artwork Title: All we risk is two years in jail and
Date: creation: 1942
Credit Line: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Joseph and Alexandra Braciejowski
Signature: lower right corner, ink, "Arthur Szyk/N.Y. 42."
Contributor: Artist: Arthur Szyk
Biography: Arthur Szyk (1894-1951) was born to Jewish parents, Solomon and Eugenia Szyk in Łódź, Poland, which at the time was part of the Russian Empire. He had his first public art exhibition at age 15, and then went to Paris, France, for formal art training at the Academie Julian. He visited Palestine in 1914 with a group of Polish-Jewish artists and studied Muslim art. Upon his return, he was conscripted into the Russian Army and served in World War I. He married Julia Liekerman in 1916, and they had a son, George, in 1917. In 1918, Poland regained independence, but continued to fight a series of regional wars to secure its boundaries. Between 1919 and 1920, during Poland's war against the Soviet Bolsheviks, Syzk served as a cavalry officer and artistic director of the Department of Propaganda for the Polish Army in Łódź. In 1921, he and his family moved to Paris where his daughter, Alexandra was born the following year.

Szyk was well known for his illuminations and book illustrations, in a style reminiscent of Persian miniatures. He worked on several significant projects in France, including illustrating the Statute of Kalisz, the Haggadah, and a series of watercolors on the American Revolutionary War. The themes of his most admired works, democracy and Judaism, were already well established, earning him both fame and significant commissions. In 1934, Szyk traveled to the United States for exhibitions of his work and to receive the George Washington Bicentennial Medal, awarded by the US Congress. He resided in England from 1937-1940 to supervise the publication of the Haggadah. In 1939, following Germany's invasion of Poland, he focused on producing anti-Nazi editorial cartoons published in many Western newspapers and magazines. During the German occupation of Poland, his 70 year old mother, Eugenia, and her Polish companion were forced to live in the Łódź ghetto. In 1943, they were transported to Majdanek concentration camp and killed.

In late 1940, Szyk immigrated to the United States with his family. He became a leading anti-Fascist political caricaturist as well as an advocate for Jewish rescue. In addition to his widely published satirical art, Szyk devoted a great deal of time and energy to the Emergency Committee to Save the Jewish People of Europe, and pushed for the establishment of an independent Jewish state in Palestine. Szyk received his US citizenship in 1948. In 1951, he was investigated by the United States House Un-American Activities Committee as a suspected Communist. His son, speaking on his behalf, declared his non-affiliation with any Communist organization. Later that year, on September 13, Szyk suffered a heart attack and died at age 57.

Physical Details

Classification: Art
Category: Drawings
Object Type: Color drawing (lcsh)
Physical Description: unfinished ink over graphite, image of three figures, Hitler, Herman Goerring, monkey, all dressed in uniform, bearing nazi insignia
Dimensions: overall: Height: 6.000 inches (15.24 cm) | Width: 4.000 inches (10.16 cm)
overall: Height: 20.000 inches (50.8 cm) | Width: 16.000 inches (40.64 cm)
Materials: overall : paper, ink, graphite, cloth, adhesive
Inscription: lower edge, graphite, "All we risk is two years in jail and $1000 fine..."

Rights & Restrictions

Conditions on Access: No restrictions on access
Conditions on Use: No restrictions on use

Administrative Notes

Legal Status: Permanent Collection
Provenance: The drawing was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1995 by Alexandra and Joseph Braciejowski, the daughter and son-in-law of Arthur Szyk.

Record last modified:: 2024-10-03 11:31:20
This page:: https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn520292

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Consists of artwork created by Arthur Szyk, a satirical and propaganda artist working in the United States during World War II.

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to World War II created in the United States. Matted image of heavy set man talking over a table to a thinner man, both in Nazi uniform, thinner man holding a document reading "U.S.A. German & Italian Consulates Closed." Signed "Arthur Szyk/N.Y. 1941" in ink lower right corner. Inscribed "Don't be upset Goebbels/We still have the French Consulate!!!" in graphite, lower left corner. Created by Arthur Szyk, 1941, New York, United States. Inherited by Arthur Szyk's daughter Alexandra Braciejowski.

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Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to World War II created in the United States. Matted image of Hitler with a glass of champagne in his right hand, index finger of left hand pointing up, bottle of champagne in bucket in front of table; in graphite on mat along lower edge, "Arthur Szyk, Ink Drawing 'Champagne for me--' 1942" Signed "Arthur Szyk/N.Y. 42" in ink, lower right corner. Inscribed "What have you done to my fleet!?..." in graphite, lower left corner.

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to World War II created in the United States. Image of what looks to be a Russian soldier in fur coat and hat, looking down at German soldier on ground. Russian soldier has gun in right hand and index finger of left hand pointing up. Border of paper gold with black markings and diamond shaped negative images. Signed "Arthur Szyk/N.Y. 42" in ink, lower right corner. Inscribed "No, Jerry, this is no picnic!..." in graphite, lower left edge.

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to World War II created in the United States. Matted full image of man dressed in Soviet garb, patched-knee trousers, holding full sized shot gun in right hand, five point star present on his cap. Signed "Arthur Szyk/1941" in ink, lower right corner.

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to World War II created in the United States. Image of Rudolf Hess in Nazi uniform standing with arms raised at the elbow, palms out. Signed "Arthur Szyk/N.Y. 1941." in ink, lower right corner. Incribed "HESS/Of course he is crazy, - taing the English for suckers..." in graphite, beneath drawing, center of lower half. Created by Arthur Szyk, 1941, New York, United States.

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Unfinished ink on graphite sketch of satirical subject matter relating to World War II. Image of Hitler pulling the strings of a puppet wearing a Nazi armband

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to World War II created in the United States. Image of U.S. soldier grasping the outline of Italy while a mouse with swastika runs from the top of Italy. Signed "Arthur Szyk/November 17-1942" in ink, lower right corner. Inscribed "NORTH AFRICA" in ink, lower third, central "A thing to come..." in graphite, lower left corner.

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to World War II created in the United States. Unfinished graphite image of seated man (Christ), Star of David band on upper right arm, lower right corner has a circular impression from a stamp

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Arthur Szyk drawing

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Arthur Szyk drawing

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Arthur Szyk drawing

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Verso - a: Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to World War II created in England. Image of two gentlemen, Stalin and Hitler, bodies facing each other, faces turned away, each holding handgun, pointed away from both figures. Signed "Arthur Szyk/London 1939." in ink, lower right corner Created by Arthur Szyk, 1939, London, England.

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Satirical drawing by Arthur Szyk depicting Hitler and Goering as monkees

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Satirical drawing created by Arthur Szyk in the United States. In 1921, Szyk moved to Paris to escape Bolshevik rule in his native Poland, where established a career as one of the greatest modern creators of illuminated miniatures. In June 1940, Nazi Germany conquered France. Szyk emigrated to the United States that year and became known for his anti-Fascist political caricatures. Throughout his career, he used his art in support of human dignity, freedom, and tolerance.

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to World War II created in the United States. Unfinished ink on graphite, image of six figures, three in background, dressed in uniform; three figures in foreground, partially naked, man in center dressed in uniform Russian holding machine gun under left arm, right arm around scarved woman holding child, man in background to the woman's right, has his hand on her shoulder.

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to World War II and created in the United States. Image of man wearing Nazi uniform, falling from a cliff ledge marked RUSSIA into open pit shaped like grave marked at head with swastika above rectangular plaque bearing words "SCHIKLGRUBER'S/DREAM." Signed "Arthur Szyk" in ink, lower right corner. Inscribed "We are not defeated! / We are falling back on prepared positions..." in graphite, upper left corner. Verso: "Szyk, 2 cols Thurs / Return to Shen-----" in graphite, upper half.

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to World War II created in the United States. Matted image of Goebbels speaking into a microphone, a building lableled "Stalingrad" in ink, in background, swastikas and bodies litter the ground; adhesive label attached to paper mount. Signed "Arthur Szyk/N.Y. 43." in ink, right side, center. Inscribed "It's a lie! The German army is still around Stalingrad and will remain there forever!" in blue ink, lower edge. Mount inscribed "George- Eddie, K----- >Please don't mark up this orignal art. It is only loaned to use." in graphite, on adhesive label attached to paper mount. Stamped, center, side edges, ink, "INSERT"; graphite markings below signature; black grease pencil or crayon marking at right edge, lower half; upper left corner, graphite, "19086"; markings also on verso.

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Arthur Szyk drawing

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Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States.

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States;

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States;

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States.

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Arthur Szyk drawing dramatizing Stalin's defeat of Hitler in the deep Russian snow

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Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States; Created by Arthur Szyk, 1941, New York, United States.

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States; Created by Arthur Szyk, 1941, New York, United States.

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Arthur Szyk drawing

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Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States.

Arthur Szyk anti-Nazi satirical drawing

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Arthur Szyk drawing

Object

Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States.

Arthur Szyk drawing

Object

Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States; Created by Arthur Szyk, 1941, New York, United States.

Arthur Szyk drawing

Object

Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States; Created by Arthur Szyk, 1941, New York, United States.

Arthur Szyk sketch

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States.

Arthur Szyk print

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Print of drawing relating to Second World War created in the United States

Arthur Szyk drawing

Object

Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States.

Arthur Szyk drawing

Object

Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States; Created by Arthur Szyk, 1943, New York, United States.

Arthur Szyk drawing

Object

Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States.

Arthur Szyk drawing

Object

Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States.

Arthur Szyk drawing

Object

Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States.

Arthur Szyk drawing

Object

Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States.

Arthur Szyk drawing

Object

Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States.

Arthur Szyk drawing

Object

Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States.

Arthur Szyk drawing

Object

Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States.

Arthur Szyk sketch

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States

Arthur Szyk sketch

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States

Arthur Szyk sketch

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States

Arthur Szyk sketch

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States

Arthur Szyk sketch

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States

Arthur Szyk satirical antiwar sketch

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Satirical sketch relating to WW II created by Arthur Szyk after his emigration to the United States.

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States; created by Arthur Szyck in New York, 1943.

Arthur Szyk sketch

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States; created by Arthur Szyk in New York, 1944.

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to Second World War created in the United States.

Arthur Szyk drawing

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Drawing of satirical subject matter relating to World War II created in the United States. Man in old-fashioned one-piece bathing suit with swastika symbols on rear end, holding umbrella in right hand, tyrolean hat in left hand, and wearing spats. Signed "Arthur Szyk/N.Y. 44" in ink, lower right quad. Inscribed "THE MASTER RACE" in graphite, lower left edge.