[Latin America]. [World War II]. [Propaganda]

Libertad de Palabra. Una de las Cuatro Libertades por las Que Luchan los Aliados [caption title]

Washington DC: El Coordinador de Asuntos Interamericanos, 1942. Pictorial lithograph, 20 x 14.25 inches, printed in red, gray, yellow, and black. Minor surface wear, mild creasing, light dust-soiling, a few pinholes. Very good. Item #4754

A rare poster issued by the Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs (CIAA) during World War II, attempting to sway public opinion in Latin America to the Allied side. The CIAA was established by executive order in July 1941 in order to distribute news, advertising, film reels, and more to and from Latin America to counter Italian and German propaganda campaigns in the region. The text of the present poster translates from the Spanish as "Freedom of Speech. One of the four freedoms for which the Allies are fighting." The central image features an open-mouthed face breaking open a large swastika which is itself on fire. A mildly subtle message that free speech destroys fascism. The poster was designed by noted Russian-American graphic designer and photographer Alexey Brodovitch, whose printed credit appears at top right; Brodovitch is most well-known for his art direction of Harper's Bazaar from 1934 to 1958. A powerful visual display, with only one copy reported in OCLC, at MOMA, though we also find two other institutional holdings, at the United States Holocaust Museum and the Hoover Institute.

Price: $1,750.00