WWI 1918 Poster "HUN or HOME? Buy More Liberty Bonds" (20"x30") Henry Raleigh

Description: WWI Liberty Bonds 1918 Poster "HUN or HOME? BUY MORE LIBERTY BONDS" by Henry Raleigh. + ORIGINAL!! One of the truly iconic posters of the great "war to end all wars" in a large 'frame-able size' and in SUPERB condition!! + Artist: Henry Raleigh (1880-1944). His handwritten surname, in caps, in charcoal appears on the lower left foreground of the image. + Dimensions: 20"x30" + Printing: Color lithography on cream wove paper, by EDUARDS & DEUTSCH LITHO. CO., CHICAGO + Date: 1918 + Condition: ZERO folds, tears, flaking, fading, toning, stains, writing, tape repairs, or backing of any sort ever applied! + Damage: Minute tack holes, ONE at each corner. That's it! + Image and text: The vibrant colors of this otherwise melancholy, frightening poster, charcoal- and pastel-sketched in blood-RED, shadowy-BLACK, and scorched-EARTH tones are those of a barren or destroyed Belgian or French village with a lone MOTHER protectively clutches her INFANT child as a menacing hulk in an Imperial Pickelhaube slouches toward her, his hand covered in RED BLOOD. The text, in 4.5" type and 2.25" type, asks then...implores the viewer: HUN or HOME? BUY MORE LIBERTYBONDS Raleigh 9 B - EDUARDS & DEUTSCH LITHO CO., CHICAGO + Shipping: Any overage in postage will be refunded! *****Contemporary pundits and politicians referred to World War I as "the war to end all wars." And they had good reason to: History had never seen anything close to the devastation that this conflict brought. Approximately 17 million soldiers and civilians died between 1914 and 1918, while artillery shrapnel, machine guns, and the like wounded yet another 20 million who were then left with amputations and life-wrenching disabilities. Many Americans balked at entering such a war, and who could blame them. Furthermore, some Americans of German ancestry took Germany's side in the conflict and weren't eager to fight against their homeland. Facing such obstacles, the U.S. government's first task was convincing Americans to support the war. Luckily, the U.S. was leading the way in the burgeoning art of advertising. This advertising know-how quickly became instrumental in creating wartime propaganda that would shape both American mentalities about Europe, and about how Americans' own ethnic backgrounds fit into a larger, unified American cultural identity.***** Description “HUN OR HOME?” was one of many posters issued by the United States government during World War I to encourage support of the war through the purchase of LIBERTY BONDS. This poster was illustrated by Henry Raleigh in 1918. According to the Documenting the American South Society, Raleigh was known to be one of the highest paid illustrators in America. This poster encouraged people to buy bonds in order to save themselves from the “Hun.” "Hun" was a derogatory term used by the British and Americans to describe German soldiers during the First World War. This term referenced the Hun army that invaded Europe in 370 AD. The utilization of women, children, and disdain for Germans were frequent in propaganda posters to convince Americans to buy bonds. War bonds were created to fund the Allied victory by supporting troops and the Allied war effort. Liberty Loans were bonds that the government sold, so they could keep up with the expenses of war. These were sold back to the government after the war. This poster was created and reproduced as a lithographic print at the time of its distribution. ***** Historical precedent and background of the poster, from "this day in history",Germans burn Belgian town of Louvain Over the course of five days, beginning August 25, 1914, German troops stationed in the Belgian village of Louvain during the opening month of WWI burn and loot much of the town, executing hundreds of civilians. Located between Liege, the fortress town that saw heavy fighting during the first weeks of the German invasion, and the Belgian capital of Brussels, Louvain became the symbol, in the eyes of international public opinion, of the shockingly brutal nature of the German war machine. From the first days they crossed into Belgium, violating that small country’s neutrality on the way to invade France, German forces looted and destroyed much of the countryside and villages in their path, killing significant numbers of civilians, including women and children. These brutal actions, the Germans claimed, were in response to what they saw as an illegal civilian resistance to the German occupation, organized and promoted by the Belgian government and other community leaders—especially the Catholic Church—and carried out by irregular combatants or franc-tireurs (snipers, or free shooters) of the type that had participated in the Franco-Prussian War in 1870-71. In reality this type of civilian resistance—despite being sanctioned by the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907, which the Germans objected to—did not exist to any significant degree in Belgium during the German invasion, but was used as an excuse to justify the German pursuit of a theory of terror previously articulated by the enormously influential 19th-century Prussian military philosopher Karl von Clausewitz. According to Clausewitz, the civilian population of an enemy country should not be exempted from war, but in fact should be made to feel its effects, and be forced to put pressure on their government to surrender. The burning of Louvain came on the heels of a massacre in the village of Dinant, near Liege, on August 23, in which the German soldiers had killed some 674 civilians on the orders of their corps commander. Two days later, the small but hardy Belgian army made a sudden sharp attack on the rear lines of the German 1st Army, commanded by General Alexander von Kluck, forcing the Germans to retreat in disorder to Louvain. In the confusion that followed, they would later claim, civilians had fired on the German soldiers or had fired from the village’s rooftops to send a signal to the Belgian army, or even to approaching French or British troops. The Belgians, by contrast, would claim the Germans had mistakenly fired on each other in the dark. Whatever happened did not matter: the Germans burned Louvain not to punish specific Belgian acts but to provide an example, before the world, of what happened to those who resisted mighty Germany. Over the next five days, as Louvain and its buildings—including its renowned university and library, founded in 1426—burned, a great outcry grew in the international community, with refugees pouring out of the village and eyewitness accounts filling the foreign press. Richard Harding Davis, an American correspondent in Belgium, arrived at Louvain by troop train on August 27; his report later appeared in the New York Tribune under the headline GERMANS SACK LOUVAIN; WOMEN AND CLERGY SHOT. A wireless statement from Berlin issued by the German Embassy in Washington, D.C., confirmed the incidents, stating that “Louvain was punished by the destruction of the city.” The Allied press went crazy, with British editorials proclaiming “Treason to Civilization” and insisting the Germans had proved themselves descendants not of the great author Goethe but of the bloodthirsty Attila the Hun. By war’s end, the Germans would kill some 5,521 civilians in Belgium (and 896 in France). Above all, German actions in Belgium were intended to demonstrate to the Allies that the German empire was a formidable power that should be submitted to, and that those resisting that power—whether soldier or civilian, belligerent or neutral—would be met with a force of total destruction. Ironically, for many in the Allied countries, and in the rest of the world as well, a different conclusion emerged from the flames of Louvain: Germany must be defeated at all costs, without compromise or settlement, because a German victory would mean the defeat of civilization.*****from The History Collection, by Stephanie Schoppert, Feb. 18, 2017 When it came to the first great war of the 20th century, people were scared and many did not want to get involved. In the United States, people did not know why they should get involved with a war that was on the other side of the world. Even in Germany it was hard to rally people to join the war effort and fight. But that was where propaganda came in. World War I produced such stunning propaganda posters that they continue to hang in homes and art museums to this day. They also helped rally people to fight for their countries and underwrite the staggering cost of waging war.. When it became clear to the British government that war was happening, propaganda was one of the first orders of business. A war always needed men on the front and women at home to support the war effort in any way possible. To do this, Wellington House was established in 1914 and was responsible for propaganda about German activities until 1915. There was a lack of coordination between the various departments responsible for propaganda, so the Foreign Office was created in 1916. In 1917 propaganda was still not as strong as it needed to be so Lloyd George created the Department of State to handle propaganda. Problems still existed and so finally the Ministry of Information was created in 1918 and handled propaganda until a few weeks after the war. Once the Ministry of Information was dissolved, anything left of the propaganda department went back to the Foreign Office. Posters printed from1914 on served the same purpose as many American propaganda posters would. The war in Belgium seemed far away for the people of Britain and the United States. Therefore, initial propaganda focused on U.S. and British loyalty to Belgium and the suffering of her people. This poster refers to the Germans as Huns, and acknowledges the difference between the current lives of the people in the States and Britain... and the people in Belgium. Posters depicted a Belgium where women and children are murdered or worse, children are dead or enslaved. The posters gave the sense that Belgium tried to remain neutral and is now suffering. Britain was the guarantor of that neutrality and it now becomes the duty of Britain to rise up and protect themselves and their Belgian brothers. THE UNITED STATES The United States never had a large standing army, and that meant that when war came they had to quickly mobilize and get public support for the war. President Wilson created the Committee on Public Information whose job it was to put forth propaganda towards the war. Wilson chose George Creel to head the organization largely because Creel had a unique approach to propaganda that Wilson agreed with. Creel did not want to censor information, which was contrary to most propaganda initiatives at the time. He would allow the papers to publish what they wanted as long as they did not print enemy propaganda or lies about the war. Since the United States had not quite reached the age of mass media, Creel focused most of his attention on posters. Some of the posters that were created through his department remain as iconic images to U.S. culture today, such as the Uncle Sam “I Want You” poster. Creel partnered with advertising agencies and put his posters everywhere. They were on subways, bus stops, billboards, barns, and anywhere else an American might walk. Creel also hired 75,000 men to travel and deliver hundreds of patriotic speeches to rally people to the war effort. Creel’s operation was considered one of the most successful to date as his efforts even reached Europe and Germany. Some of the propaganda took a less patriotic turn and focused on defeating a barbaric enemy. One poster depicted a large brutish ape carrying a woman away and leaving destruction behind him. He carries a club that says “Kultur” which was representative of German culture. It also shows the brute making his way across the ocean and stepping onto American shores as a way to instill fear into the hearts of Americans that the German menace could reach them. This sort of propaganda was effective but it also put numerous German-Americans at risk. They faced persecution for being associated with the Germans, despite their families having lived in the United States for generations. ***** The Artist: Henry Patrick Raleigh, 1880-1944, by Mr Geo Neo, 8 March 2016 (ILLUSTRATORS' LOUNGE) Henry Patrick Raleigh was a superb draftsman and accomplished illustrator who flourished during the "Golden Age of American Illustration." He was sought after by the most popular authors and publications. During his success, he was one of the highest-paid illustrators in the country. In 1925, Art Critic Evert Shinn proclaimed him “America’s greatest illustrator.” Raleigh was born in Portland, Oregon in 1880, into a broken family and a life of poverty. He began working at the age of 9. Selling newspapers to support his mother and sisters. By 12 he dropped out of school and found work on the docks of San Francisco for a coffee importer. Working side-by-side with sailors from around the world, they filled his young head with amazing tales of life in places far away. Inspired by these stories, he began sketching and sharing them. His co-workers were impressed by his drawings, as was his boss. Taking a liking to the budding artist, Raleigh’s boss offered to pay his tuition at renowned San Francisco art school, the Hopkins Academy. After three short years, Raleigh graduated from Hopkins. At just 17, his exceptional drawing ability landed him a job with the San Francisco Bulletin newspaper. There he worked as a cub reporter-artist, covering some of the most extreme, emotional and unpleasant topics including executions, fires and fatal accidents. He even illustrated at the morgue for murder and suicide stories. By 19, he was working for the San Francisco Examiner as one of their highest-paid artists. Raleigh’s time working for newspapers taught him to have a keen eye, expert awareness, and remarkable memory. Days spent in the morgue gave him all the time he needed to study and understand anatomy. The San Francisco Examiner happened to be American publisher William Randolph Hearst’s favourite newspaper. Discovering Raleigh’s work in the pages of the Examiner, Hearst asked him to relocate to New York City to work for The New York Journal. In just nine months of moving to New York and working for the Journal, Raleigh was offered a position at their rival paper, The New York World. With a large salary increase, his new role only required him to work three days a week. Assigned to illustrate Special Features, he covered high society events, drawing the well-to-do of New York. The irony was not lost, that the young man from a desperately poor background was now known for his illustrations of opulent parties and fashionable socialites. His short working weeks allowed him to take on commissions from magazines. Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazar, Collier’s, and Saturday Evening Post were among some of his early assignments. With his popularity was still growing, at just 30 years of age, Raleigh was making more money than he could have dreamed of. In 1914 he was chosen by Collier’s to create illustrations for a five-part serialized story of “Bealby” by H. G. Wells. As if by overnight, thanks to its success, Raleigh was one of the most sought-after illustrators in America. Working feverishly, Raleigh was one of the most prolific commercial artists of the period. By his 25th year working professionally, he had published over 20,000 illustrations. Even during the depression, for three decades his average income was well over $100,000 per year. American Artist magazine later wrote: In his best years his annual take was in the neighborhood of $100,000. Considering the then value of the dollar and the relatively insignificant tax on income, Raleigh probably had more cash in hand at the end of the year than any other illustrator before or since.” For almost 30 years, Raleigh illustrated over 500 Saturday Evening Post stories. Stories by cherished authors F. Scott Fitzgerald, Agatha Christie, Stephen Vincent Benet, William Faulkner, Sinclair Lewis, and Somerset Maugham. Fitzgerald wrote a fan letter saying, “Honestly, I think they’re the best illustrations I’ve ever seen!” Raleigh spent his money freely, he gave away thousands of dollars to friends, traveled, maintained a yacht, owned a mansion and kept a large studio in downtown Manhattan. At his peak, Raleigh was able to indulge in a lifestyle of regular trips abroad with family and friends. He found that traveling to exotic locations was the balance he needed. It helped restore his passion for illustration. was a lifestyle he thought would never end. Unfortunately, by the late 1930s styles and tastes changed and his work dried up. Raleigh had already become reclusive and was not willing to accept the social changes. Work for Raleigh stopped coming in. Having spent frivolously, he became bankrupt and bitter. Sadly in 1944, Raleigh committed suicide. In his life, Henry Raleigh achieved great things leaving a body of works that are as extraordinary now as they were when he created them. He has received much recognition, among them are the Shaw Prize for Illustration at the Salmagundi Club in 1916, the Gold Medal for Advertising Art in America in 1926 and a place in the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame in 1982. Raleigh’s seemingly effortless approach to illustration showcases excellent draftsmanship with a great understanding of composition. Well-placed lines are used to guide the viewer to the intended focal points. A very beautiful and noticeable aspect of Raleigh’s style is his combining of tight, carefully observed, drawing with loose, uncontrolled, scribbles. This is not a sign of laziness nor superfluous flourishes. In an interview, Raleigh said this of his work, “The most beautiful picture is one which the observer is left free to complete for himself. The illustrator should be able to select the essential elements in any subject which will convey to the layman the entire scene in the simplest and most direct way, avoiding mere details which tend to cause either monotony or confusion.” You can also see his work in print in the book, Henry Raleigh: The Confident Line by Chris Raleigh.

Price: 167.5 USD

Location: Little Rock, Arkansas

End Time: 2025-01-27T20:31:36.000Z

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