Personification Collection (#43)

Personification of Charity - Sweet Sunshine to the Flower
Charitys transforming power - Is like sweet sunshine to the flower. Date: circa 1910s

Joseph Chamberlain leading John Bull deeper
Joseph Chamberlain (1836-1914) leading John Bull (representing the British populace as a whole) inward into the deeper waters of his new Fiscal Policy

Noblesse oblige - Swiss caring for injured soldiers
Noblesse oblige - Whoever claims to be noble must conduct himself nobly. Despite neutrality in world conflict, the Swiss recognise their obligations due to their status to care for those injured in

John Bull disagreeing with Joseph Chamberlains Policies
Mr Bull: " What have you gor there Joe?" Joe: " Protection." Mr Bull: " Put it away or you ll hurt yourself." John Bull alarmed by Joseph Chamberlains dangerous policy

Rule Britannia - Britannia Rules the Waves - WW2 era propaganda greetings card Date: circa 1943

Patriotic French postcard - WWI era
Patriotic French postcard, featuring a rather non-plussed model as French Heroic Archetype Marianne, sending glorious good wishes for swift military victory to French forces in the early years of

Smart gentleman raises a toast to the moon / personification of nightime Date: circa 1904

Uncle Sam. US World War Two propaganda postcard
The Personification of the United States of America - Uncle Sam leaning against a large letter v on this US World War Two propaganda postcard. Date: 1941

Russian Bear trapped up a pole by the Japanese
Dudley Hardy - Stuck; Humorous postcard relating to the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. The sender has added the comment " Good Old Japs" onto the pole. Date: circa 1905

White porcelain figures representing peace and harmony. Dehua ware, Fujian province. Height: 4 1 / 4 in
CHINA: PORCELAIN FIGURES. White porcelain figures representing peace and harmony. Dehua ware, Fujian province. Height: 4 1/4 in. Ching Dynasty, 17th century

German actress Hedwig Reicher wearing a Columbia costume at a demonstration for womens suffrage in front of
SUFFRAGE PROTEST, 1913. German actress Hedwig Reicher wearing a Columbia costume at a demonstration for womens suffrage in front of the Treasury Building in Washington, D.C. 3 March 1913

Adam and the serpent. circa 18th century

The Northern Hemisphere of the Celestial Globe. Designed by the Arabic astronomer, Mohammud ben Heleah of Monsul, 1275
CELESTIAL GLOBE, 1275. The Northern Hemisphere of the Celestial Globe. Designed by the Arabic astronomer, Mohammud ben Heleah of Monsul, 1275

The Southern Hemisphere of the Celestial Globe. Designed by the Arabic astronomer, Mohammud ben Heleah of Monsul, 1275
CELESTIAL GLOBE, 1275. The Southern Hemisphere of the Celestial Globe. Designed by the Arabic astronomer, Mohammud ben Heleah of Monsul, 1275

Everybody loves a parade. Personification of parades and celebrations. 20th century illustration
ALLEGORY: PARADE. Everybody loves a parade. Personification of parades and celebrations. 20th century illustration

Celestial sphere from the Temple of Osiris at Denderah, Egypt, designed in the time of the later Ptolemies
EGYPTIAN CELESTIAL SPHERE. Celestial sphere from the Temple of Osiris at Denderah, Egypt, designed in the time of the later Ptolemies, between 305 and 51 B.C. with the fixed stars superimposed

Christian theory of the universe embraced by the realm of God and his angelic court
PTOLEMAIC UNIVERSE, 1493. Christian theory of the universe embraced by the realm of God and his angelic court. Ptolemaic universe with earth at the center

William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield, holding down America while Lord North pours tea down her throat
BOSTON TEA PARTY, 1773. William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield, holding down America while Lord North pours tea down her throat

The Personification of Music from Gregor Reisch Margarita Philosophica, Strassbourg, 1508. In left foreground man plays a portable organ, above him is a man playing a clarsach or Celtic harp

Gemini Serigraph Postcard. ca. 1900-1920, Gemini Serigraph Postcard

Virgo Serigraph Postcard. ca. 1900-1920, Virgo Serigraph Postcard

Aquarius Serigraph Postcard. ca. 1900-1920, Aquarius Serigraph Postcard

Bear clutching Emile Loubet, cartoon, 1903

Another Effort to Reform Him, 1937

Historical satire, historical artwork C013 / 7699
Historical satire. Historical cartoon by P. Chenu entitled Les hommes en mignatures, satirising the human pleasures of smoking, drinking, and card playing, using a group of monkeys

The Headache. Etching, 1819, by George Cruikshank
CRUIKSHANK: HEADACHE, 1819. The Headache. Etching, 1819, by George Cruikshank

The Plague. Tempera on varnished pine, 1898, by Arnold Bocklin
BOCKLIN: THE PLAGUE, 1898. The Plague. Tempera on varnished pine, 1898, by Arnold B├Âcklin

Woodcut from the Latin edition of The Dance of Death, printed in Paris, France
DEATH: DOCTOR AND LOVER. Woodcut from the Latin edition of The Dance of Death, printed in Paris, France, in 1490 by Guyot Marchand for the publisher, Geoffroi de Marnef

Londoners fleeing into the countryside to escape from the Plague in 1630. Woodcut from a contemporary English broadside
PLAGUE OF LONDON, 1630. Londoners fleeing into the countryside to escape from the Plague in 1630. Woodcut from a contemporary English broadside

Represented in the male and female forms. Woodcut from Peter Sch├Âffers Hortus Sanitatis
BOTANY: MANDRAKE, 1476. Represented in the male and female forms. Woodcut from Peter Sch├Âffers Hortus Sanitatis

Allegorical representation of the Demon of the Plague: colored German woodcut, 1540
DEMON PLAGUE, 1540. Allegorical representation of the Demon of the Plague: colored German woodcut, 1540

Death and the Doctor / Death and the Lover. Woodcut from the Latin edition of The Dance of Death printed in Paris in
DANCE OF DEATH, 1490. Death and the Doctor/Death and the Lover. Woodcut from the Latin edition of The Dance of Death printed in Paris in 1490 by Guyot Marchand for the publisher, Geoffroi de Marnef

Is This a Time for Sleep? American cartoon, 1883, urging more vigilance and action to vanquish public health diseases
CHOLERA CARTOON, 1883. Is This a Time for Sleep? American cartoon, 1883, urging more vigilance and action to vanquish public health diseases such as cholera

In Full Accord. American cartoon, 1885, accusing the New York City Board of Health of unsanitary practices
NEW YORK: SANITATION, 1885. In Full Accord. American cartoon, 1885, accusing the New York City Board of Health of unsanitary practices

Representation of Mercury, the planet of science and the arts. Woodcut, c1470
PLANET MERCURY, c1470. Representation of Mercury, the planet of science and the arts. Woodcut, c1470

Death Contemplating His Work. Lithograph, American, 1894
TUBERCULOSIS, 1894. Death Contemplating His Work. Lithograph, American, 1894

A slum landlord meets Cholera in the poorest part of town. Wood engraving, American, 1866
CHOLERA IN SLUMS, 1866. A slum landlord meets Cholera in the poorest part of town. Wood engraving, American, 1866

After One Hundred Fifty-Nine Years. American cartoon by Clifford K. Berryman, 1934
TAXATION CARTOON, 1934. After One Hundred Fifty-Nine Years. American cartoon by Clifford K. Berryman, 1934, on the injustice of the District of Columbias lack of representation in the U.S. Congress

Personification of Independence Day. 20th century illustration after Archibald M. Willard
SPIRIT OF 76. Personification of Independence Day. 20th century illustration after Archibald M. Willard

The Reconciliation betweeen Britannia and her daughter America. Satirical English cartoon, 1782
BRITANNIA & HER DAUGHTER. The Reconciliation betweeen Britannia and her daughter America. Satirical English cartoon, 1782

The five commissioners nominated to negotiate peace with the colonies kneeling at the feet of America
THE COMMISSIONERS, 1778. The five commissioners nominated to negotiate peace with the colonies kneeling at the feet of America, who sits on a pile of barrels and bales. British cartoon by M

Bunkers hill, or the blessed effects of Family quarrels. English cartoon, 1775
BUNKER HILL: CARTOON, 1775. Bunkers hill, or the blessed effects of Family quarrels. English cartoon, 1775, ascribing the fighting between America and Britannia to the influence of Lord Bute

Magna Britannia: her Colonies Reduc d. Cartoon designed by Benjamin Franklin in 1767 prophesying Britain dismembered of
HER COLONIES REDUCED. Magna Britannia: her Colonies Reduc d. Cartoon designed by Benjamin Franklin in 1767 prophesying Britain dismembered of her colonies in America

A cartoon showing (on top) a Japanese sailor standing on a steamship while holding a cannon barrel at a man sinking in
CHINESE CARTOON, 1895. A cartoon showing (on top) a Japanese sailor standing on a steamship while holding a cannon barrel at a man sinking in a small Chinese boat

A cat representing a Japanese battleship is chasing two rats representing Chinese battleships into a bag
SINO-JAPANESE WAR, 1895. A cat representing a Japanese battleship is chasing two rats representing Chinese battleships into a bag. Woodcut, 1895, by Kiyochika Kobayashi

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865). Sixteenth President of the United States. Memorial lithograph, 1865
LINCOLN MEMORIAL, 1865. Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865). Sixteenth President of the United States. Memorial lithograph, 1865

Don t mind me, go right on working. President Herbert Hoover finds the prohibition furor unabated
PROHIBITION CARTOON, 1929. Don t mind me, go right on working. President Herbert Hoover finds the prohibition furor unabated. Cartoon by Rollin Kirby from the New York World, 1929

You re Sure It ll All Be on the Up-and-Up, Senator? American cartoon by D. R
McCARTHYISM CARTOON, 1951. You re Sure It ll All Be on the Up-and-Up, Senator? American cartoon by D.R. Fitzpatrick, 1951, on the willingness of the Republican party to overlook Senator Joseph R

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Personification is a powerful artistic technique that breathes life into inanimate objects, concepts, and even nations. From the explosive brilliance of "A Star Explodes" by Norman Lindsay to the resilience embodied in "Long Live Estonia, " personification captivates our imagination. In an 1866 cartoon titled "Deaths Dispensary, " water pollution takes on a sinister form as it becomes the source of disease, reminding us of the consequences of environmental negligence. The Austro-Hungarian Empire proudly waves its flag while personified, symbolizing its strength and identity. Dressed in ancient Roman costume, we witness the embodiment of history itself. Guiseppe Heintz's 17th-century map of Venice transports us back in time to a city alive with stories waiting to be discovered. Lord have mercy on London. A contemporary English woodcut depicts the Great Plague of 1665 as death rides upon a pale horse, illustrating how they are evoke fear and urgency. Finland emerges as a vibrant character through "The Personification of Finland (Suomi), " representing national pride and unity. Gustave Doré's wood engraving portrays Death on his pale horse from Revelation 6:8, showcasing how personifying abstract ideas can make them tangible and relatable. During World War II, Edward T. Grigware's poster warns against careless talk with the phrase "Keep Mum - The World Has Ears. " This clever use reminds us that words hold power beyond measure. Lastly, Kiyochika Kobayashi's woodcut presents a thought-provoking image: a whale dining on Russian sailors while three fish symbolize Japan. Here we see how nations are given human-like qualities for political commentary or storytelling purposes. Through these diverse examples spanning centuries and cultures, we witness how artists employ personification to engage our emotions and provoke contemplation about complex issues such as pollution or war.