Hispanidad – Viva Ramirez Franco. New York, 1943.
Portrait of Francisco Franco
SZYK, Arthur. Hispanidad. Viva Ramirez. Portrait of Franco. Signed and Dated “Arthur Szyk, N.Y. (19)43”. Watercolor and gouache, pen and ink on paper. Sheet size: 9″ x 7″. Archivally matted and framed: 18″ x 14″. Very Good condition.
A provocative full-figure portrait of Generalissimo Francisco Franco holding a globe turned to South America and labeled “Hispanidad”. Though plainly a satire, Szyk is rather even handed with Franco; there are no exaggerated grotesqueries beyond his tattered uniform and toe-bearing, spur-heeled boots. He is fully armed with a long sword and handgun and sports a plethora of military ribbons and medals, one of which is of Nazi origin but, despite this accoutrement, Franco was never fully on Hitler’s team. In 1940 after negotiations failed to bring about an agreement between them, Franco declined Hitler’s request to join the Axis powers. Spain was officially a “pro-Axis non-belligerent” He had no real reason to. He was the absolute ruler of Spain and, as this painting shows, was fully invested in South America as well. Why risk himself further with Hitler’s thirst for world domination? In 1943 when the tide began to turn against Germany he further amended Spain’s status to completely neutral.
When this image appeared on the front cover of Reader’s Scope magazine in September 1944, it was used to illustrate an article entitled “Franco’s Knife in Uncle Sam’s Back”. Its author, Allan Chase, gave details and evidence of how the fascists were eager to move into South America once they were defeated in Europe. The “Falange” (Phalanx) had a web of spies and support through the continent, particularly in Columbia and Argentina. Since the outbreak of hostilities in 1939, Argentina had maintained an Axis friendly neutrality. In June of 1943, a coup d’etat was successively executed there under the leadership of A. Rawson, Pedro Ramirez and Juan Peron; these leaders took advantage of the pro-fascist mood prevailing in the country to establish a military dictatorship. Szyk is pointing out the frightening possibility that, even after the official end of World War II, a new fascist menace might burst forth in the New World.
Interestingly enough, despite the brutality of his regime and his links to Hitler, Franco was an unlikely benefactor to the Jews in World War II. It is estimated that upward of 60,000 displaced Jews sought and received sanctuary in Spain under his ruling.
Provenance: Parke Bernet Sale, New York, Mrs. Arthur Szyk, May 11, 1965; Lot 38.
Exhibition History: Philadelphia Art Alliance, 1945, no. 25; Deutsches Historisches Museum, Berlin, 29 August 2008–4 January 2009.
Publishing History: Ink & Blood, A Book of Drawings, New York: Heritage Press, 1946, plate LVI; Reader’s Scope magazine (front cover) September 1944; Drawing Against National Socialism and Terror, Deutsches Historisches Museum, Berlin, pp. 144-145; Art History Publication Series No. 5, The Arthur Szyk Society, Burlingame, CA, 2010, pp. 10-11.
