The Key to French Africa. New York, 1942.
SZYK, Arthur. The Key to French Africa. Signed and Dated, “Arthur Szyk, N.Y.’(19)42”. Watercolor and gouache on paper. Preliminary pencil sketch on verso. Sheet size: 13 1/2″ x 10 7/8″. Image size: 13 1/8″ x 10 7/8″. Creases to upper left and upper right corners, else Very Good condition.
In Key to French Africa Szyk demonstrates his prowess as a political cartoonist, creating a complex image laden with meaning and aesthetic appeal. The richly colored brocade of Hitler’s tunic and the many ornamented daggers and swords, medals, jewels, tassels and fans adorning the assembled men serve to create a lush visual experience. The circular composition of figures, rising steadily from the crouching figure of Pierre Laval, and culminating in the centrally seated figure of Hitler, draws the viewer’s eye into the cartoon where they are confronted with Szyk’s grim vision of Axis greed and corruption.
In the image, Hitler sits cross-legged and reclining on a plush pillow, wearing traditional garb typical of the North African region. Perched atop his head a red fez with a crescent moon and swastika proclaim the swastika’s dominance over the crescent moon, which symbolizes both the Islamic faith and the North African territory. His bulging and eyes and downturned mouth revel him to be a fanatical and dangerous man. Crouched before him the Prime Minister of France, a disheveled looking Pierre Laval, bends as though kissing the ground. A bag labeled “30 silver pieces” protrudes from his pants pocket. Thirty silver pieces was the sum of money that Judas received for betraying Jesus in the Bible, and has great significance as a symbol to treachery and betrayal. On his left, a bottle of alcohol bears a label reading: “Vichy état, source Boche.” “Boche” was a disparaging slang word used to refer to German soldiers during World War I and World War II. Thus, the label can be read as a tongue-in-cheek joke on Szyk’s part: Vichy state: source Boche. On Laval’s right, Marshal Pétain, the Chief of the French State and a French war hero, extends an offering to Hitler: a giant golden key. Dangling from the key, a tag reads: “Vichy Africa.” This interaction illustrates the Vichy complicity with, and subservience to Hitler’s agenda as they hand over the key to their colonies in Northern Africa. Flanking Hitler, the ghoulish fasces of Benito Mussolini and Hideki Tojo, the leaders of Italy and Japan, represent other Nazi allies and the long reach of Hitler’s power. On Hitler’s left, Heinrich Himmler, the leader of the German SS, stands with one hand pointing upwards and one palm extended to indicate Hitler. In renderings of Biblical themes throughout history, this pose is commonly used to point out a divine presence or event for the audience. Himmler gesticulates towards the heavens with his index finger, implying Hitler’s divine ordination as ruler.
Overall, this cartoon is typical of Szyk’s densely coded mode of illustration. In later years as he published political cartoons in daily newspapers, he adopted a looser, more direct style. This piece, however, combines rich detail of his illuminated work with the searing wit and critical eye of his political cartoons to create a dynamic and powerful image.
Provenance: Parke Bernet Sale, New York, Mrs. Arthur Szyk, Thursday March 25, 1959, Lot 57. Of the over 300 Szyk original works of art sold at four Parke-Bernet sales 1959-1963, “Key to French Africa” was the third highest price paid for any political work of art.
Publishing History: Ink & Blood, A Book of Drawings, New York: The Heritage Press, 1946, plate LIV; Sodei, Rinjiro, Arthur Szyk: Indignant Jewish Illuminator [Text in Japanese], Tokyo, Japan, 2007, p. 196; World War II, Wieder History Group, Leesburg, VA, November/December 2012, p. 53. Newsletter, The Arthur Szyk Society, Burlingame, CA, March 2013, p. 5.
