"Nouvelle Carte d'Europe", Yves & Barrey

This humorous map of Europe was created by Albert Robida and engraved by Yves & Barret. Tongue-in-cheek imagery fills the map with related text below the map. Great Britain is shown filled with smokestacks with England ready to battle Ireland, and is described as a divided country that itches any time any country around the world scratches. France is depicted with a large portrait of Marianne, happy sunbathers along the shores, and a man watering a field of wine bottles and bayonets. The text describes France as having a continuous production of politicians each more brilliant than the last, remarkable fashion designers, good natural wines, seaside resorts, and a supply of bayonets that the inhabitants are obliged to keep because of certain "indiscreet" neighbors. Otto von Bismarck looms large in Germany watering fields of various weapons, which are produced "for butchery on a large scale" with each infant essentially born a soldier. Italy has a poor character with a black soul and weak food (which is likely the harshest insult a Frenchman could give an Italian). In Holland "all the inhabitants live in windmills." In Austria-Hungary people must learn to speak around 15 languages to communicate with all the different nationalities in their country.

Surrounding the map are vignettes of historic sites in important European cities, such as Paris, London, Venice, Athens, Constantinople, Moscow, Amsterdam, Prague, and Rome, among others, each accompanied by additional satirical text. This broadside was published as a supplement to "La Caricature" magazine.

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Condition: A

A bright example, issued folding with light offsetting, now professionally flattened and backed in thin, archival tissue to repair a few minor fold separations.