Sur la terre ennemie les prisonniers russes meurent de faim 1917

This haunting original 1917 lithographic poster by the renowned Swiss-French artist Théophile Steinlen was created during the final years of World War I. The stark title, "Sur la terre ennemie les prisonniers russes meurent de faim" (On enemy soil, Russian prisoners are dying of hunger), sets a deeply emotional and accusatory tone.

Known primarily for his work in Montmartre and his sympathetic portrayals of the working class, Steinlen brought his penetrating humanism and expressive draftsmanship to the war effort with this urgent visual appeal. Here, he draws attention to the dire conditions of Russian POWs held by the Central Powers, captured in an image of profound desperation and suffering.

In the composition, two emaciated figures dominate the foreground, slumped in a posture of utter exhaustion, while behind them, a barbed-wire enclosure teems with equally hopeless detainees. The monochrome palette, punctuated only by subtle washes, amplifies the bleakness of the scene. Steinlen’s gestural lines and anguished faces convey a depth of empathy that transcends propaganda—this is a humanitarian cry.

Printed in Paris and signed Steinlen 1917, this poster is part of a broader campaign to rally Allied support and expose the humanitarian crises unfolding beyond the front lines. It exemplifies how art was used not only to mobilize but to document and denounce, channeling raw emotional power to stir international conscience.

This piece stands as a powerful testament to both Steinlen’s political commitment and the transformative role of graphic art in wartime.

Guerre 14-18

Bon état, plis légers