L'Hecatombe
Syphilis (The Mass Slaughter of Syphilis)
Artist:
Louis Raemakers
Year:
c. 1919
During
World War I, Raemakers earned
a unique badge of honor:
his political imagery, illustrating the devastation of Belgium and Northern
France, were considered
so effective and subversive by Germany that they believed
that he was threatening Dutch
neutrality, and to silence his voice
a bounty was placed on his head.
This
poster depicting ÒThe Mass Slaughter of SyphilisÓ was intended
to warn of the dangers of the
ÒFrench PoxÓ as soldiers headed to,
and returned from, the front.
Facsimile editions
Archival bamboo paper
44Ó Edition of 150ÉÉÉÉ$1850
36Ó Edition of 150ÉÉÉÉ.$950
Cotton rag paper
36Ó Edition of 300ÉÉÉÉ. $550