Saint Patrick Will Have to Do It Again. Ink & Blood. New York, 1944.
“Dedicated…to the glorious memory of the Irish boys…”
SZYK, Arthur. Saint Patrick Will Have to do it Again. Signed and Dated twice: “Arthur Szyk, New York. St. Patrick’s Day, 1944” and “Arthur Szyk, N.Y. 1944”. Pen and ink on paper. Sheet size: 8 1/2″ x 7″. Image size: 8 1/4″ x 6 7/8″. Traces of prior adhesive in upper right corners, otherwise Very Good condition.
“DEDICATED WITH LOVE TO THE GLORIOUS MEMORY OF THE IRISH BOYS IN THE ALLIED ARMIES, WHO DIED BECAUSE OF THOSE SNAKES…”
A nest of slithering snakes swarms out over the island of Ireland. These vipers tattooed with swastikas bear the heads of Hitler, Goering, Himmler and Hirohito. This image surely ranks as among the most powerful anti-Nazi aggression scenes that Szyk has ever created. The vultures that blacken the sky over the U.S. and British battleships sinking in the Irish Sea leave little doubt as to the strength of their reptilian masters.
Throughout World War II Ireland remained officially neutral aligning with neither the Allied or Axis powers. This neutrality was an offshoot of the tremendous antipathy the native Irish held for English “occupation”. King George VI of England still held the title of King of Ireland until the Republic of Ireland was created in 1949. This did not stop thousands of impassioned young Irishmen from enlisting in the British service and fighting against the spreading Nazi terror.
In the center of the snake pile sits the lone figure of Eamon De Valera, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Eire (Ireland). De Valera (1882-1975) was, and remains, a figure of high veneration to the independently minded Irish. He was a leader in the anti-British uprising of 1916 and was sentenced to death (later rescinded) at that time. He served as Taoiseach for three separate terms and after independence in 1949 served two terms as President of Ireland, the last at the age of 91. De Valera held steadfast to his blind belief that it was impossible to join as an ally to the UK while Ireland remained under occupation. But to Szyk the very idea of neutrality during this era of German genocide was an abomination. He portrays a placid looking De Valera, calmly holding the joker’s staff of “neutrality” while over his shoulder is slung a bag containing “supplies from England and U.S.A.”. How is it possible, he is asking, for this leader to resist raising arms against the Nazi vipers? Unless — he is a viper himself. “St. Patrick to will have to do it again…” Cast the snakes, including De Valera, out to drown in the sea!
SZYK’S ADMIRATION FOR THE IRISH. Arthur Szyk dedicated his entire life to fighting injustices perpetrated on the innocent or weak. Upon arriving in America, the Irish, much like the Jews, were humiliated and discriminated against. How impressive, Szyk observed, that they willingly joined the Allied Forces in World War II to once again help “drive out the snakes” this time of Nazism. Shortly after WWII when Israel was struggling for independence, Irish American leaders such as Bartley Crum and Paul O’Dwyer were active leaders in the Lawyers Committee for Justice in Palestine. In their famous letter to President Truman on June 10, 1948 they formally requested American recognition of the State of Israel as well as economic assistance. The activities of Paul O’Dwyer, a liberal New York lawyer and politician, who believed passionately in the creation of Israel would have been well known to Szyk. O’Dwyer represented the United States arm of the Irgun Zvai Leumi, the Jewish underground in Palestine and was later awarded a prestigious medal by Prime Minister Menachem Begin for his efforts. He was also a fervent believer in a united Ireland and sought complete independence from British rule.
Provenance: Mrs. Arthur Szyk Sale. Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York. November 27, 1963. Lot 85B.
Exhibition History: Wildenstein Gallery, New York, December 1944, no. 69; Philadelphia Art Alliance, 1945.
Publishing History: PM newspaper March 17th, 1944, page 11; Der Morgen Zshurnal, New York, October 22, 1944; Ink & Blood, a Book of Drawings. New York: Heritage Press, 1946, Plate LXVIII; Freedom Illuminated: Understanding The Szyk Haggadah, Burlingame, CA: Historicana, 2008, p. 187; Newsletter, The Arthur Szyk Society, Burlingame, CA, February 2014, p.9.
