Black-and-white lithograph depicting Death at R in gas mask, holding sword, watching marionette figures dance on a stage; central marionette is Hitler in suit of armor with swastika shield; Uncle Sam at far right; other figures represent countries in conflict

Danse Macabre, 1933

Lithographexpand_more

Gift of Mary and Bob Merskyexpand_more  2022.98.22

Not on Viewexpand_more

A lone audience member watches a marionette performance take place on a dramatically lit stage. The characters include Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, Adolph Hitler, Emperor Hirohito of Japan, and the figure of Uncle Sam. A figure on the far left could stand in for Winston Churchill, and the figure of a flying woman might be a French image of Liberty (or a German valkyrie). Whatever their identities, the artist Mabel Dwight has arranged them in 1933 with great prescience. Even then, six years before the start of World War II, she seemd to understand the stakes, the building tensions and alliances. She also depicted the U.S. as nervously at the edge, staying out of the action and annoyed. The spectator is Death, wearing a World War I style helmet and gas mask, delighted about the performance.

Details
Title
Danse Macabre
Artist Life
1876 - 1955
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2022.98.22
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know

Black-and-white lithograph depicting Death at R in gas mask, holding sword, watching marionette figures dance on a stage; central marionette is Hitler in suit of armor with swastika shield; Uncle Sam at far right; other figures represent countries in conflict
Because of © restrictions, we can only show you a small image of this artwork.