Arabs Protesting Republican Plank. New Canaan, 1948.
SZYK, Arthur. Arabs Protesting Republican Plank. “Israel is a Menace to our Four Freedoms…” Signed and Dated “Arthur Szyk, New Canaan 1948”. Additionally inscribed by Szyk: “To the Republican Convention with my compliments. A.S.” Pen and ink on paper. Sheet size: 6 1/4″ x 5 1/2″. Image size: 6 1/8″ x 5 3/8″. Ink smears affecting center and right side of the image, Good condition.
A motley assortment of Arabs is shown carrying political placards protesting that [American] “Republicans are Unfair to Arabs”. Heavily armed with weapons including one marked “British machine gun/ in advisory capacity only” and carrying a knapsack marked “for looting” the men are disgruntled over “Republicans Unfair to Arab Democracies”. They reference the famous Four Freedoms speech delivered in 1941 by Franklin D. Roosevelt (Freedom of speech, Freedom of religious worship, Freedom from want and Freedom from fear) with a sign stating:
The Four Freedoms of the Arab Nations
Translated by Glubb Pasha
Freedom to Kill
Freedom to Loot
Freedom of Slavery
Freedom from Freedom
The issue behind this image is that of the Republican National Convention then taking place in Philadelphia on June 21 through June 25, 1948. Thomas Dewey was the candidate and one of the most important planks of the Republican platform was the official recognition, by America, of the State of Israel. With Israel granted sovereignty, the Arabs stood to have some of their “freedoms” restrained.
Glubb Pasha (General Glubb): John Glubb, an ex-Britain who became an Arabist after World War I and while working for King Abdullah helped to build Trans-Jordan’s Arab Legion into an effective fighting force. Among other things, the Arab Legion attacked Jewish settlements and Jerusalem in 1948.
This work of art is likely part of a series of drawings created by Arthur Szyk entitled: “The Holy War Series.”
Note: A drawing similar to this with the Arab “Four Freedoms” is in the collection of The Library of Congress. The 4 Freedoms (Arab Brand) was published in The Answer magazine, New York, January 30, 1948: It read: 1) Freedom to Kill; 2) Freedom to Rob; 3) Freedom from Freedom; 4) Freedom from Democracy.
Provenance: Alexandra Szyk Bracie, daughter of Arthur Szyk.
