Tsar and Jewish Soldier. Paris, 1925.

SZYK, Arthur. Tsar and Jewish Soldier. Signed “A.S” (Paris, 1925.) Pen and ink on paper. Sheet size: 4 1/4″ x6 1/2″.  Image size: 3 5/8″ x 3 5/8″. Very Good condition.

A Tsar and a Jewish soldier stand face-to-face before a background of Russian architecture. The soldier stands at attention with his rifle, and he shoulders a full load including a bedroll. The Tsar is in full be-medalled military dress, his arms behind his back in a posture of relative ease. Two other figures stand midground.

The 5-line Russian inscription on the verso of the drawing tells us of  the Tsar and soldier’s conversation:

Tsar:  “Well, how is your service going?”
Soldier: “Poorly, Your Majesty; the service is poor and the life is hard for a Jew.”
Tsar:  “Do you think my life is easy? – Disturbances, attempts, ministers are thieves…”
Soldier: “Your Majesty, let us escape to America together…”

Note: This original artwork is tipped into Arthur Szyk’s printed copy (no. 1 of 20 on special paper, volume 2) of Le Juif Qui Rit [The Laughing Jew], legendes anciennes et nouvelles arragnees par Curnonsky & J.W. Bienstock. Paris: Albin Michel, Editeur, 1926. [This volume is in the Book Collection of The Arthur Szyk Collection]. This drawing Tsar and Jewish Soldier was obviously intended for publication in that volume, but never included.  The two volumes of Le Juif Qui Rit consist of more than hundred fifty  black and white line drawings in which Szyk used his political and satirical wit to poke fun at fellow Jews, almost as a way of expressing some “truthfulness about ourselves” according to Szyk’s widow Julia in her memoirs. The two volumes include: categories such as education, hygiene, cafes, and society life.