Description
Object description
design Gabriele D'Annunzio, full-length caricature figure, strolling to right. He wears a laurel wreath crown, evening
dress and carries a scroll, marked "DISCORS", in his left hand and a three-stringed lyre in his right. Following him is Dante Alighieri,
weighed down by a suitcase in each hand. In the right background a signpost marked "SCOGLIO QUARTO", and in the distance the
sea
Association - related items: see postcard showing D'Annunzio in flying kit - with companion, in front of the aeroplane which he used for
the propaganda mission over Vienna
Description - title: translated as "My poor verses have been thrown to the winds"
whole MODEL
Physical description
Postcard artwork for "Poveri Versi Miei Getta ti al Vento", R. Ferroz, IWM PCD 0002
Label
The title is a quotation from the great Italian poet, Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), who is pictured following
D'Annunzio, his modern counterpart. The drawing refers to D'Annunzio's legendary flight over Vienna, dropping propaganda leaflets (9 August
1918). The leaflet text read as follows - 'Viennese! We could now be dropping bombs on you! Instead we drop only a salute. We Italians do
not make war on women and children, we are making war on your government, which is the enemy of your national liberty. You have turned the
world against you. If you wish to continue the war - continue it! You will thereby commit suicide. What have you to gain? The decisive
victory promised you by the Prussian Generals? Their decisive victory is like Ukranian bread. You will starve waiting for
it...'
Label
"The title is a quotation from the great Italian poet, Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), who is pictured following
D'Annunzio, his modern counterpart. The drawing refers to D'Annunzio's legendary flight over Vienna, dropping propaganda leaflets (9 August
1918). A masterpiece of wartime propaganda, the leaflets were tinted red, white and green. The text read as follows - 'Viennese! We could
now be dropping bombs on you! Instead we drop only a salute. We Italians do not make war on women and children, we are making war on your
government, which is the enemy of your national liberty. You have turned the world against you. If you wish to continue the war - continue
it! You will thereby commit suicide. What have you to gain? The decisive victory promised you by the Prussian Generals? Their decisive
victory is like Ukranian bread. You will starve waiting for it...'"
Inscription
(obscured signature)
Inscription
R.Ferroz