Rewolucja w Niemczech (Revolution in Germany)
Lodz/ Warsaw: Ksiazka i Sztuka, 1919. First edition. Softcover. Oblong 12mo. 7 1/4 x 10 1/2". Unpaginated. 32 pages. Original string-tied illustrated brown paper wrappers, with text and image in red. Illustrated title page. The copy is a scarce larger variant, with right and bottom margins of the book block un-trimmed. It was however mis-bound, following the 10th leaf, missing two of the double-sided leaves (with 3 images total), and instead substituting additional copies of two different leaves already present instead, bound out of order. The missing content has been added in the form of modern facsimiles.
This scarce satirical anti-German work takes the form of a illustrated poem, with images by acclaimed Polish-Jewish illustrator Arthur Szyk (1894-1951) and text by Polish-Jewish lyricist and poet Julian Tuwim (1894-1953). It was the first completely illustrated by Szyk to be published, and contains 19 larger illustrations, as well as 5 smaller images (including historiated initials) by the artist, all printed lithographically in black. Here Szyk and Tuwim humorously take aim at the stereotypical German character, mocking a type of overbearing bureaucratic ways, the organization of their military, German ambitions and self-importance, and a humorous analysis of the recent Revolution (1918-1919). The Germans are shown conducting the revolution in a typically ridiculous, laborious and fussy manner, e.g. showing soldiers, under the supervision of a police man, in front of a dynamite factory reading pamphlets on how to start a revolt in the army and navy while a crowd is lining up at a side entrance of a "explosives distribution center." The images here display an earlier form of Szyk's characteristic style, which appears closer to classical caricature than his latter images.
Text throughout in Polish.
Wrappers with a small light stain to the front cover. Light rubbing to extremities. Interior including all images and text clean. In very good condition overall, save for the missing content. Protected in modern mylar. vg. Item #7085
Price: $1,500.00