About this artwork
This work expresses the Taller de Gráfica Popular’s solidarity with the Republican cause in the Spanish Civil War (1936–39), a primary focus of the workshop’s antifascist production. Under the Cárdenas administration, Mexico was the only country apart from the Soviet Union to openly support the constitutionally elected Republican government against General Francisco Franco’s fascist forces, and the conflict became a political touchstone whose outcome both the Mexican left and right understood as critical to the country’s future. Méndez’s drawing employs caricature to mock Franco and his forces despite their ultimate victory. He portrays them as inhuman robots during their unsuccessful attempt to take Madrid in 1936.
Español:
Este trabajo expresa la solidaridad del Taller de Gráfica Popular con la causa republicana en la Guerra Civil española (1936-1939), un foco principal de la producción antifascista del taller. Bajo el gobierno de Cárdenas, México fue el único país, además de la Unión Soviética, en apoyar abiertamente al gobierno constitucionalmente electo de la República en contra de las fuerzas fascistas dirigidas por el general Francisco Franco. Este conflicto se convirtió en piedra de toque tanto para la izquierda como para la derecha mexicanas, quienes entendieron que el resultado de la guerra podría ser crítico para el porvenir de su propio país. El dibujo de Méndez emplea una caricatura para burlarse de Franco y sus fuerzas a pesar de su victoria final. Los retrata como robots inhumanos durante su intento fallido de tomar Madrid en 1936.
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Prints and Drawings
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Artist
- Leopoldo Méndez
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Title
- Drawing for The "Taking" of Madrid in November 1936
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Place
- Mexico (Artist's nationality:)
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Date
- 1933–1943
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Medium
- Pen and brown ink on tan wove paper
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Dimensions
- 22.9 × 33.1 cm (9 1/16 × 13 1/16 in.)
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Credit Line
- Print and Drawing Club
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Reference Number
- 1945.116
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Copyright
- © 2018 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SOMAAP, Mexico City
Extended information about this artwork
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