Comments on: Spanish Civil War Posters

Spanish Civil War Posters

Gamblor — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 19:02:43 -0800

Spanish Civil War posters, utilizing many early modernist styles --like Art Deco, surrealism, realism, and photomontage-- to communicate with the people of Spain, many of whom were illiterate.

By: Gamblor

Gamblor — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 19:03:00 -0800

The section titles, translated: Antifascist Anti-imperialists/National Independence Revolutionaries and Anti-oligarchical Army and Military Services Culture Women Childhood Internationalism Health/Solidarity Economy and Production Press Mural Ideological/Propaganda

By: Gamblor

Gamblor — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 19:06:07 -0800

Some of my favorites.

By: Avenger

Avenger — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 19:24:23 -0800

if I'm not mistaken, these are all anarchist/communist posters. Got any fascist ones? Say what you will, but fascists from the 30's really got the futurist-art deco style down pat.

By: Abiezer

Abiezer — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 19:26:43 -0800

Yeah, but the revolutionary ones display well online or indeed anywhere, Avenger. The fascist ones look best hung by the ankles from lamp-posts.

By: Avenger

Avenger — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 19:39:45 -0800

True. Nazi-esque posters don't look so groovy on your laptop's wallpaper. Kinda weird looking, actually. /understatement Here's some more Spanish-Civil War posters.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 20:04:19 -0800

Hey, thanks Gamblor, this is great! Seems there's tons of Russian poster stuff available, it's been reproduced and widely disseminated for years, but this is the first time I've seen such a great collection of Spanish posters from that period. Bookmarked!

By: Flood

Flood — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 20:15:47 -0800

very cool. some of the best posters are by the anarchists, called the CNT during the civil war.

By: Pope Guilty

Pope Guilty — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 20:41:33 -0800

The CNT-FAI is still around, if I recall.

By: Ironmouth

Ironmouth — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 21:06:37 -0800

Actually the Nazi propaganda posters are not very modernist at all. They tend towards the very realistic. Cool futurist posters were decadent art to them. I used to own a copy of this Spanish Civil War poster. Many are available as reproductions. I became fascinated with propaganda posters after working on a museum exhibition on them in graduate school.

By: Rangeboy

Rangeboy — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 21:20:23 -0800

Interesting how this one eschews fancy design for a visceral punch to the gut.

By: Abiezer

Abiezer — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 21:46:23 -0800

The CNT is still going strong, but IIRC there was a split when they were able to organise openly again after the death of Franco (the fascist we learned to live with) involving who got the returned assets of the original pre-War. The one linked is the affiliate of the IWA.

By: Abiezer

Abiezer — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 21:48:56 -0800

Pre-War union, that would be. The other organisation is now called the CGT.

By: Anything

Anything — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 21:49:11 -0800

Kawaii!

By: thrako

thrako — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 22:11:42 -0800

Excellent post. For the ultimate visual fusion of Communism and Nazism (please let me never type that again) check out the NBP's flag. I just found out about them today, [via]. They seem to have an especially interesting position as Putin's opposition and inspiration. Previously, though all the links appear to be broken.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 22:18:36 -0800

Yikes! That NBP flag is, er... wow, that's weird. That is some conflicting/conflicted/confluckted imagery right there, boy.

By: thrako

thrako — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 23:28:53 -0800

I wish I had something to add to the subject of the Spanish Civil War, but Gamblor has clearly covered everything. To add to the diversity of images here is a Dali representation of the USA. Also, the propaganda in Iraq is begging for a FPP.

By: TheWhiteSkull

TheWhiteSkull — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 09:04:52 -0800

No pasaran!

By: Thorzdad

Thorzdad — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 09:50:11 -0800

When it comes to art of the Spanish Civil War, I always liked this one.

By: mwhybark

mwhybark — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 10:16:54 -0800

Fantastic. I've been looking for an archive like this for years.

By: Devils Slide

Devils Slide — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 18:46:30 -0800

I've seen a lot of Axis and Allied WWII propaganda posters, but this is new to me. Thanks a lot.