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Arthur Szyk (1894-1951) was an illustrator who became famous for his political caricatures, especially ones he drew during World War II of the Axis powers' leaders Hitler, Mussolini and Japanese Emperor Hirohito. Born in Poland, Szyk lived in France and then England before emigrating to the United States in 1940 with his family. It was said that Hitler had put a bounty on his head.
His drawings, similar to 16th-century miniatures, were snapped up by American newspapers and magazines, including The New York Post, Esquire, Time and Colliers. He also produced ads and "Buy War Bonds" billboards. During the war years, galleries and museums staged more than 25 exhibits of his frequently anti-Nazi, and always artistically intricate drawings.
In 1945, Arthur Szyk and his family moved from New York City to New Canaan, Connecticut where he lived until his death in 1951. With the war over, and the Axis defeated, Szyk switched his focus to book illustration. Among the works he produced were illustrated versions of "Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam," fairytales by Hans Christian Andersen and Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales."
Szyk's fascinating and often courageous work is on view in an exhbit at The New Britain Museum of Art, "A Picture is Worth a Thousand Swords: The Illustrations of Arthur Szyk." It runs through January 30. Admission is $8-$10. For more information, visit the Museum's website.
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