Prentbriefkaart gebruikt als campagnemateriaal voor senaatskandidaat Joseph McCarthy 1946

This anonymously made postcard was used to campaign for senate candidate Joseph McCarthy and, looking at the images, I imagine the artist making the work was trying to create a powerful narrative. The image is split into three sections, like a comic book, with scenes of war and seriousness. The first scene shows a smiling man, with a machine gun. The second features Joseph McCarthy in a suit, looking down, writing. In the third, men in pilot's gear pore over a piece of paper. There's a lot of intention, here, with what the artist wants you to feel. I imagine the artist wanted to get the right feel. Did they have a clear idea, or did the piece emerge through intuition? I imagine them trying different crops and layouts, and making an image that’s meant to persuade. The artist juggles aesthetics with propaganda, much like many artists do.