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On Account-a Hitler

Poster
ca. 1943 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The American government introduced meat rationing in 1943. This poster promotes self sacrifice as a patriotic duty and urges people not to evade the restrictions. Rhyming text and a caricature of Hitler give the message a light-hearted tone, cajoling the viewer rather than accusing.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleOn Account-a Hitler (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Colour lithograph
Brief description
Second World War poster issued by the American Meat Institute, USA ca. 1943
Physical description
Cuts of meat in white butcher paper on green ground in the upper fourth of the composition. The dark green background references the colour of chalkboards commonly found in American schools as well as shops advertising their weekly or daily specials. The text "On Account-a Hitler/ Our Meat is littler" is printed to suggest handwriting on a chalk board. A caricature of Adolf Hitler is found three-fourths down the poster sheet, with the lower fourth bearing green text on yellow ground.
Dimensions
  • Height: 71cm
  • Width: 56cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • On Account-a Hitler/ Our Meat is littler (printed in yellow on green across two lines)
  • You're only helping those Axis Scamps/ When you don't play fair with little red stamps (printed in green on yellow on two lines across lower margin)
Credit line
Gift of the American Friends of the V&A; Gift to the American Friends by Leslie, Judith and Gabri Schreyer and Alice Schreyer Batko
Subjects depicted
Summary
The American government introduced meat rationing in 1943. This poster promotes self sacrifice as a patriotic duty and urges people not to evade the restrictions. Rhyming text and a caricature of Hitler give the message a light-hearted tone, cajoling the viewer rather than accusing.
Other number
LS.373 - Leslie Schreyer Loan Number
Collection
Accession number
E.39-2004

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Record createdJune 23, 2004
Record URL
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