Twee politieke rechtszaken 1920

Mihály Biró created this print called ‘Two Political Trials'. Although undated, the imagery within this work is heavily influenced by the turbulent political landscape of Europe in the first half of the 20th century. This lithograph presents two imagined court cases: on the left, under a portrait of Lenin, we see what appears to be a trial of members of the old Tsarist regime in Soviet Russia. On the right, under a portrait of Horthy, we see communists on trial for their beliefs in Horthy's Hungary. The figure in the middle with two heads passing judgement embodies the corruption of the legal system by ideological power. Biró was a Hungarian Jewish artist with socialist political views. It is likely that this print reflects the political turmoil of interwar Europe. His imagery resonates with critiques of biased legal systems, questioning the supposed neutrality of institutions and reminding us of the social and political forces at play. To understand this print fully, we could look at historical accounts, political manifestos, and biographical studies of the artist. Only through such interdisciplinary investigations can we truly grasp the power and complexity of such a loaded image.