1949, ARTHUR SZYK TITLE PAGE, LITHOGRAPH, VISUAL HISTORY OF SWITZERLAND!

Item Specifics

Country

Switzerland

Stamp Format

Single

Item Description

1949, arthur szyk title page, lithograph, visual history of switzerland!

A visual history of switzerland

Title Page Lithograph by Arthur Szyk
Published by K. Bileski, Winipeg, Canada
Lithographed by Herman Jaffe, Printer, New York, NY
Image size 8" x 6-1/2"
Paper size 11-1/2x10"

Like a timepiece of great craftsmanship, Arthur Szyk’s illuminated history of Switzerland is imbued with fine detail and gleams with jeweled colors.

Prominently placed at the top of the illumination are the 14th-century farmer and famous hunter William Tell and his young son. According to legend, when forced to choose between bowing his knee to an Austrian overlord and shooting an apple off the head of his own son, Tell successfully accomplished the latter. Since then, William Tell has been an inspirational story - both within Switzerland and outside it - of an underdog’s ability to triumph.

Underneath the Tells’ image is the date 1291. This is the year that Switzerland was formed, when representatives of the three states (or cantons) of Uri, Schwyz, and Nidwalden vowed that they should forever remain free from foreign control and interference. Szyk references the main linguistic and cultural regions of Switzerland by printing the country’s name in their languages: la Suisse (French), die Schweiz (German), Svizzera (Italian), and Svizzra (Romansch). Below the country’s name in English is Switzerland’s unofficial national motto: All for one and one for all (in French on the left, and in German on the right).

Just below the motto is a shield representing the canton of Vaud. Two other cantons are also represented in this central rectangular area: Appenzell Innerhoden and Appenzell Ausserrhoden, left and right (respectively), under the image of William Tell.

Along the left and right sides of the illustration are shields of the remaining (then) 22 Swiss cantons. Clockwise from top right are: Obwalden, Nidwalden, Glarus, Zug, Fribourg, Solothurn, Geneva, Basel-Stadt, Neuchâtel, Schaffhausen, Basel-Land, Schwyz, Uri, Valais, Lucerne, Ticino, Bern, St. Gallen, Graubünden, Aargau, Thurgau, and Zürich. (The 26th canton, Jura, was created in 1978, after this Visual History was completed.)

At the bottom of the illustration is a seated worker adjacent to a cog signaling the unparalleled Swiss reputation for watchmaking. On the right, the second man’s colorful traditional attire is what one will see at an Alpaufzug - an Alpine cattle drive. In full festive parade, cows and goats are moved in the autumn from higher-altitude pastures to lower-altitude ones (and vice versa in the spring). Between the men is a large image of the Swiss flag, an equilateral white cross on a red background.

Additional Notes:
Lithograph Title Pages for Stamp Album The Visual History of Nations set, which represents the founding member countries of the United Nations, including vibrant images representing the United States of America, Canada, Poland, Great Britain, France, USSR, China, Switzerland, and Israel.

This series was commissioned in 1945 by Canadian philatelist and entrepreneur, Kasimir Bileski, with the intent on being used as frontispieces and title pages for a unique international stamp album.

Szyk completed only nine of the 60 countries, plus the Visual History of Flight, before his sudden death in 1951.

the Complete SET Consists of:

Airmails of the World - Title Page for Airmails of the World
Artist Arthur Szyk, New York Published by K. Bileski, Station B, Winnipeg, Canada Lithographed in the USA by Herman Jaffe, Printer, New York, USA Copyright 1947

Great Britain
on Back: Title Page for Great Britain
Artist Arthur Szyk Published by K. Bileski, Station B, Winnipeg, Canada Lithographed in the USA by Herman Jaffe, Printer, New York, USA Copyright 1947

France
on Back: Title Page for The Republic of France
Artist Arthur Szyk, New York Published by K. Bileski, Station B, Winnipeg, Canada Lithographed in the USA by Herman Jaffe, Printer, New York, USA Copyright 1947

The United States of America
On Back: Title Page for The United States of America
Artist - Arthur Szyk, New York Published by K. Bileski, Station B, Winnipeg, Canada Lithographed in the USA by Herman Jaffe, Printer, New York, USA Copyright 1945

U.S.S.R.
on Back: Title Page for The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Artist - Arthur Szyk, New York Published by K. Bileski, Station B, Winnipeg, Canada Lithographed in the USA by Herman Jaffe, Printer, New York, USA Copyright 1947

Canada
on Back: Title Page for The Dominion of Canada
Artist - Arthur Szyk, New York Published by K. Bileski, Station B, Winnipeg, Canada Lithographed in the USA by Herman Jaffe, Printer, New York, USA Copyright 1946

Poland
on Back: Title Page for The Republic of Poland
Artist - Arthur Szyk, New York Published by K. Bileski, Station B, Winnipeg, Canada Lithographed in the USA by Herman Jaffe, Printer, New York, USA Copyright 1946

China
on Back: Title Page for The Republic of China
Artist - Arthur Szyk, New York Published by K. Bileski, Station B, Winnipeg, Canada Lithographed in the USA by Herman Jaffe, Printer, New York, USA Copyright 1948

Israel:
On Back: Title Page for The State of Israel
Artist - Arthur Szyk, New York Published by K. Bileski, Station B, Winnipeg, Canada Lithographed in the USA by Herman Jaffe, Printer, New York, USA Copyright 1949

Switzerland:
On Back: Title Page for The Visual History of Switzerland
Artist - Arthur Szyk, New York Published by K. Bileski, Station B, Winnipeg, Canada Lithographed in the USA by Herman Jaffe, Printer, New York, USA Copyright 1949

Would You Like a Complete set of 10? - I only have 2 to offer!
Check my Hip Listings!!

Arthur Szyk was born June 16, 1894 - died September 13, 1951. Szyk was a graphic artist, book illustrator, stage designer and caricaturist. Arthur Szyk was born into a Jewish family in Lódz, in the part of Poland which was under Russian rule in the 19th century. He always regarded himself both as a Pole and a Jew. From 1921, he lived and created his works mainly in France and Poland, and in 1937 he moved to the United Kingdom. In 1940 he settled permanently in the United States, where he was granted American citizenship in 1948.

These would look great as framed art!
Great Collectible Rare / Unique GREAT GIFT OR COLLECTORS ITEM

Some slight age - at the margins and edges only. This item is in Very Fine ++ Condition.

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