Taking a Rest (?) - Die Wacht am-- Bismarck

• Price: $100.00
  

  SKU: 91481

• PRINT ADD TO FAVORITES
  SHARE

• ARTIST: Thomas Nast

• PUBLISHER: Published by Harper's Weekly. May 12, 1877.

• MEDIUM: Wood engraving,

  DATE: 1877.

• EDITION SIZE: Image size 20 1/4 x 13 1/4" (51.4 x 33.6 cm).

• DESCRIPTION: Otto von Bismarck is a beloved figure in German history. He had a great talent for politics, both domestic and international, and used his wit, charisma and temper to help unite the German states and bring peace to Europe. He was noted for using threats of retirement against his king and fellow politicians to get his way, and 1877 just happened to be one of those instances. While his registration was not accepted, as Bismarck had expected, he was granted extended leave and took advantage of the time to relax and regain his composure after several years of political turmoil and war-scares. It's clear this upset officials in Europe, however. Bismarck, despite having sometimes resorted to bullying tactics to get other nations to listen, had done wonders to keep Europe out of war. He couldn't have picked a worse (or better, for his agenda) time to take leave - the Russo-Turkish war had just begun. <br><br> In this cartoon many of the nations spy on him, as if wondering when he would return to bring peace back to Europe. Some of the references are known political figures. Others are simply symbols of their given country - under the table is the British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli; behind the table is Franz Josef, Emperor of Austria-Hungary; behind the tree is France (possibly Patrice de MacMahon, who was the President at the time); watching through the doorway is the Ottoman Empire (likely Abdul Hamid II, who was Sultan); peering over the wall is Italy's King, Victor Emmanuel II; the Vatican and what appears to be another representation of France surround him in the form of hats; China clings to a tree above; and Spain, as a torero's hat, and England's John Bull use the trees for cover in the upper center.

• ADDITIONAL INFO:

• CONDITION: Good condition, save for minor foxing. and has been folded in four.

• REFERENCE:

• CATEGORIES: 18th-19th Century Subjects , Caricatures and Satirical , Thomas Nast