The Conqueror’s Birch
The French caption “hommage au vainqueur” translates roughly as “tribute to the conqueror”. The abased fellatio and ass-kissing of a birching conqueror is thus perhaps an editorial comment on the reparations imposed by peace treaty in one of the European wars of the first half of the 20th century. Sadly, my knowledge of history, symbolism, and national dress are not precise enough to zero in on precisely who is complaining of which reparations to whom.
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I lean more toward 19th century. the man looks german and the woman at the back looks greek. You got me curious on this one.
It might be a German cavalry officer’s uniform – there’s a picture of Wilhelm II dressed something like that (including the moustache) in 1905. Perhaps the cartoon is from Belgium or occupied France during WW1.
This is the work of Frédillo and is one of his 24 “Fantaisies Parisiennes” illustrations published in 1880, which can be viewed here: http://esaviejaculturafrita.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/fredillo-fantaisies-parisiennes.html
Given the date I would hazard a guess that this is an oblique reference to the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1, the most dramatic effect of which was the loss of the French territories of Alsace and Lorraine to the newly-formed state of Germany. Our gentleman sports what is recognisably the helmet of an officer of the Prussian Guard of that sort of date, and although not obviously wearing the regional costumes, perhaps the ladies represent the two lost provinces?
Barking, thanks EVER SO MUCH for sourcing this for us!