De Volkenbond overwint de machten der duisternis - Johan Braakensiek

A 1931 political lithograph by Johan Braakensiek depicting an allegory of the League of Nations confronting the personification of war.

This lithograph by Dutch artist Johan Braakensiek, titled 'De Volkenbond overwint de machten der duisternis' (The League of Nations overcomes the powers of darkness), was published as a supplement to the Dutch weekly magazine 'De Groene Amsterdammer' on 24 October 1931. Braakensiek was a prolific illustrator and cartoonist, known for his contributions to the Dutch press during the early twentieth century. The composition presents a clear allegorical narrative. A female figure, representing the League of Nations, stands in profile, extending an olive branch towards a dragon emerging from a dark cavern. The dragon is inscribed with the word 'OORLOG' (War), identifying it as the embodiment of conflict. The contrast between the light, linear figure of the woman and the dark, textured form of the beast creates a stark visual tension. The work reflects the interwar period's preoccupation with international diplomacy and the fragile hope for peace following the First World War. Braakensiek employs a clean, graphic style typical of editorial illustration from this era. The use of line work to define the dragon's scales and the cavern's shadow provides depth without relying on complex shading. The print serves as a historical document of the political climate in 1931, capturing the idealism associated with the League of Nations before the subsequent collapse of international order. The work is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, and remains a notable example of Dutch political commentary through the medium of the printed supplement.