The German Tango

Category

Library Item

Item no

33006

Title

The German Tango

Description

"From East to West and West to East I dance with thee."

'This cartoon (of 13 August 1915) appeared when the Germans were still hastily transferring masses of troops from the western to the eastern front, and were collecting a new army to attack Serbia.'

Artist / maker

Raemaekers, Louis

Date

1916

Size

34.6 x 25.8 cm

Type

Chromolithograph

Location

Art and Design Library

Copyright

Louis Raemaekaers' drawings are reproduced by kind permission of the Louis Raemaekers Foundation.

An allegory of Germany, identifiable by the German state crown and her braids, dances seductively with a skeleton. Raemaekers' allegories of Allied countries are strong or victimised but never promiscuous women. His allegory of Germany, on the other hand, is a sexualised figure. She leans into the skeleton, her parted lips and lidded eyes emphasizing her sexual nature. Germany dances with death, while England and Belgium fight for humanity.

The Louis Raemaekers Foundation have published a book of his works entitled, 'Louis Raemaekers - with pen and pencil as a weapon'.

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Related subjects

Clothing and dress > Accessories > Crowns

Events > Wars > World wars

People > Adults > Women

People > Body parts > Skeletons

Sport and leisure > Activities > Dancing