An Italian satire of mankind torturing the world

GROSSI, Augusto.

Povero Mondo! Seguiterà ad andar oltre, sempre imbarazzato in mezzo a tanti che vogliono farlo camminare e tirarlo a modo loro.
Bologna: Il Papagallo, 1879. Chromolithograph. Sheet 410 x 610mm.

Faint creasing.

''Poor world! He will continue to proceed, always embarrassed by all those who want to force him to walk, pulling him their way.''
A globe with spindly arms and legs, a cap and long hair, supports himself on crutches. He is surrounded by people: on one side including monarchs, nobles, generals and brigands; on the other are religions, with Turks, Armenians, Catholics, ultramontanists and 'Israelita'. Above his hat are insects representing political parties, including Communists, Nihilists and Bonapartists. A 'monarch' tries to pull his crutch away.
'Il Papagallo' was a satirical magazine founded in January 1873 by Augusto Grossi (1835-1919), which specialised in colour-printed caricatures like this one. At its peak circulation reached 50,000, and in 1878 a Parisian version, 'Le Perroquet', and London edition, 'The Parrot', were launched. 'Il Papagallo' closed in 1915, when Grossi was 70 years old.


Stock ID : 21674