Louis Raemaekers, L'Hécatombe / La Syphilis. Circa 1922.
Louis Raemaekers
1869-1956
L'Hécatombe / La Syphilis. Circa 1922.
In the first few decades of the 20th century, the fear of syphilis resulted in many ad campaigns aimed at educating - and sometimes scaring - the public. Haunting images of skeletal figures, funereal notices, modernist illustrations of medicines, and soldiers being tempted by "loose women" were proliferated by government health and social services organizations across Europe and the U.S. This especially macabre image of a woman, with spidery appendages coming from her hat, and a field of cross tombstones at her feet, was meant to warn of "The Mass Slaughter of Syphilis." The "The Great Pox" was a major health crises among Belgian soldiers returning home from World War I.
Toned, and colors attenuated, creases along folds.
47 x 30 in. (119.4 x 76.2 cm.) J.E. Goossens, Brussels.
Louis Raemaekers
1869-1956
L'Hécatombe / La Syphilis. Circa 1922.
In the first few decades of the 20th century, the fear of syphilis resulted in many ad campaigns aimed at educating - and sometimes scaring - the public. Haunting images of skeletal figures, funereal notices, modernist illustrations of medicines, and soldiers being tempted by "loose women" were proliferated by government health and social services organizations across Europe and the U.S. This especially macabre image of a woman, with spidery appendages coming from her hat, and a field of cross tombstones at her feet, was meant to warn of "The Mass Slaughter of Syphilis." The "The Great Pox" was a major health crises among Belgian soldiers returning home from World War I.
Toned, and colors attenuated, creases along folds.
47 x 30 in. (119.4 x 76.2 cm.) J.E. Goossens, Brussels.
