The fascist vulture has discovered that we have no lambs
Poster
1944 (made)
1944 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Viktor Deni had distinguished himself as a poster artist during the Russian Civil War (1918-1920) but afterwards concentrated on newspaper caricatures until there was again a need for propaganda for the Great Patriotic War, the name by which Russians referred to World War II. By 1944 the tide of war had turned in the Soviet Union's favour and the Germans were in retreat. The desperate mood of early war propaganda gave way to a more optimistic, even wryly humorous, anticipation of victory to which Deni's pungently wittly style was ideally suited. In this poster, the arm of a strong Russian soldier is seen strangling a Nazi vulture. The image makes fun of Nazism and belittles the proud eagle which came to symbolise Nazism.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The fascist vulture has discovered that we have no lambs (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Colour lithograph on paper |
| Brief description | 'The fascist vulture has discovered that we have no lambs', printed Russian lithographic poster designed by Viktor Deni (Denisov), showing image of Russian hand strangling Hitler as a vulture, Second World War, USSR, 1944 |
| Physical description | Printed in black, white, red and khaki, the poster depicts a black vulture dressed as a Nazi military officer whose feathers are ruffled as it tries to free itself from human grip. The image personnifies the confident Russian army as the strangulating human hand around the bird's weak neck. The bird's cap, belt and badges identify it as the representation of the Nazi forces. The bird carries its prey, a small female figure, in its left talons. The text across the top of the composition, printed in black and red, reads: "The fascist vulture has discovered that we have no lambs!" |
| Dimensions |
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| 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 | Viktor Deni had distinguished himself as a poster artist during the Russian Civil War (1918-1920) but afterwards concentrated on newspaper caricatures until there was again a need for propaganda for the Great Patriotic War, the name by which Russians referred to World War II. By 1944 the tide of war had turned in the Soviet Union's favour and the Germans were in retreat. The desperate mood of early war propaganda gave way to a more optimistic, even wryly humorous, anticipation of victory to which Deni's pungently wittly style was ideally suited. In this poster, the arm of a strong Russian soldier is seen strangling a Nazi vulture. The image makes fun of Nazism and belittles the proud eagle which came to symbolise Nazism. |
| Other number | LS.582 - Leslie Schreyer Loan Number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.279-2004 |
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| Record created | June 10, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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