Object numberM2015/011:003
DescriptionThis is a black pencil drawing of a racial character possibly of antisemitic nature. It shows a head & shoulders profile of a man with large mustache and fangs, wearing what looks like Hungarian dress. Text under the drawing is not fully legible but has been identified as Istóczy and "nach einer Photographie mit Kohle gezeichnet".
The topic of these three black pencil drawings of racial character, which were thought to be of anti-Semitic nature, were identified by Zsuzsanna Toronyi , Director of the Hungarian Jewish Museum and Archive in Budapest, as portraits of three of the founders of the first Anti-Semitic party in Hungary, Győző Istóczy, Iván Simonyi and Géza Ónody. Their portraits were well-known from newspapers. The National Anti-Semitic Party was founded in 1883 after the blood-libel of Tiszaeszlár in 1882.
In conclusion, in our opinion, it is possible to interpret the three caricatures as being not forthright anti-Semitic but as a satire against anti-Semites, ie cartoons making mockery of the 1880s Hungarian anti-Semitic movement. It is probable that a late 1880’s newspaper illustration or photography or even an article (denying the anti-Semitic feelings of the main propagators), motivated a Jewish (or pro-Semitic) artist to comment on the contemporary and rapidly spreading ideology. To date, we were not yet able to fully establish the attribution of the ‘A. Krakauer’ artist. No artists/illustrator/ caricaturist of that name was known to the curators in the Jewish Museum in Vienna and Budapest.
According to the donor, her father Henry Langford always maintained that the artist was A. Krakauer (ie. also deciphered the initials as A.K.) However, no artists/illustrator/ caricaturist of that name was known to the curators in the Jewish Museum in Vienna and Budapest.
The character in this picture:
Győző Istóczy (7 November 1842, Szentkereszt - 9 January 1915, Budapest) was a nationalist Hungarian politician and lawyer in the second half of the 19th century. His antisemitic views were flagrant during his political career.
Istóczy proposed the expulsion of the Jews in the House of Representatives, excited the public against the local Jews, resulting in a number of violent acts and pogroms. Istóczy became a kind of a precursor in the eyes of the subsequent far right parties and movements.
Donated by Trish Langford-Howes from her father's (Henry Langford) possession. Henry identified the author of the drawings as A. Krakauer.
The topic of these three black pencil drawings of racial character, which were thought to be of anti-Semitic nature, were identified by Zsuzsanna Toronyi , Director of the Hungarian Jewish Museum and Archive in Budapest, as portraits of three of the founders of the first Anti-Semitic party in Hungary, Győző Istóczy, Iván Simonyi and Géza Ónody. Their portraits were well-known from newspapers. The National Anti-Semitic Party was founded in 1883 after the blood-libel of Tiszaeszlár in 1882.
In conclusion, in our opinion, it is possible to interpret the three caricatures as being not forthright anti-Semitic but as a satire against anti-Semites, ie cartoons making mockery of the 1880s Hungarian anti-Semitic movement. It is probable that a late 1880’s newspaper illustration or photography or even an article (denying the anti-Semitic feelings of the main propagators), motivated a Jewish (or pro-Semitic) artist to comment on the contemporary and rapidly spreading ideology. To date, we were not yet able to fully establish the attribution of the ‘A. Krakauer’ artist. No artists/illustrator/ caricaturist of that name was known to the curators in the Jewish Museum in Vienna and Budapest.
According to the donor, her father Henry Langford always maintained that the artist was A. Krakauer (ie. also deciphered the initials as A.K.) However, no artists/illustrator/ caricaturist of that name was known to the curators in the Jewish Museum in Vienna and Budapest.
The character in this picture:
Győző Istóczy (7 November 1842, Szentkereszt - 9 January 1915, Budapest) was a nationalist Hungarian politician and lawyer in the second half of the 19th century. His antisemitic views were flagrant during his political career.
Istóczy proposed the expulsion of the Jews in the House of Representatives, excited the public against the local Jews, resulting in a number of violent acts and pogroms. Istóczy became a kind of a precursor in the eyes of the subsequent far right parties and movements.
Donated by Trish Langford-Howes from her father's (Henry Langford) possession. Henry identified the author of the drawings as A. Krakauer.
Subjectracial discrimination, caricatures, antisemitism, Jews, cartoons
Object namedrawings
Dimensions
- drawing width: 211.00 mm
height: 340.00 mm
with cardboard width: 268.00 mm
height: 406.00 mm
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Trish Langford-Howes