An anthropophagus-vegetarian or the two sides of a medal 1941

This satirical cartoon by the Kukryniksy collective, made around 1941, is propaganda at its most provocative. It’s split right down the middle, a visual either/or. On the left, Hitler gently pets a lamb, rendered in soft pastels. He’s got a comically saccharine expression, with thin lines defining his unnaturally smooth face. A gold medal hangs from his neck, emblazoned with his own self-aggrandizing portrait. Then, BAM, you look to the right. The color scheme shifts to harsher yellows and browns. This time, Hitler's a monster, eyes bulging, aiming a pistol. Skulls adorn his jacket like macabre decorations, and he's stepping on bodies as he threatens a woman. The contrast is stark, the artists aren't exactly subtle! But it’s how they use these simple colors and contrasting compositions that really drives the point home. It reminds me of Philip Guston's later work, where cartoonish figures carry heavy political weight. It's a reminder that even the most seemingly benign images can mask something truly sinister.