The well-known figure of Death, the Grim Reaper, recurred often in conscription imagery. Traditionally Death was drawn as a skeleton, clothed in black and wielding a huge scythe (see 'The Mothers'). It was used when the context of the drawing made the use of the dignified goddess inappropriate - as when 'Australia' landed a 'No' egg in the eye of the Prime Minister, Billy Hughes in December 1917 ( see 'Who Threw That Egg?'). The Little Boy at Manley was a creation of the Bulletin, later widely adopted by other cartoonists. Australia might also be presented as a man - even an ordinary working man (see 'Yes or No? Such a Simple Question') - or in more mischievous guise as a cheeky little boy. Liberty could be presented in a similar vein, although the Britannia helmet was then replaced by a soft bonnet, modelled on the phrygian cap - the red cap of Liberty - worn during the French Revolution (see 'Liberty or Slavery'). Alternatively Freedom, Liberty or Democracy might be presented as an heroic masculine figure (see 'Prussianism Defeated' below). The nation of Australia was often presented as a classical goddess, on the model of Britannia (see 'Will You Join Them', or 'Awake Australia' ). "What a blessing it's a boy!" ').īoth sides had access to a rich tradition of allegorical imagery that was familiar to its audience. Marquet also created a female equivalent - the gloriously haughty 'Mrs Toorak' (see 'Mrs Toorak. The labour movement's answer was the bloated figure of the capitalist 'Mr Fat', shown in various guises- as an exploitive industrialist, or as a war profiteer grinding down the hapless worker under the burdens of war (see 'The Burden Bearer' or 'The Referendums'). It was controversial even at the time (See '?' below). One of the most extreme was drawn by Norman Lindsay for the last great recruiting drive. The 'Yes' side created grotesque images of the brutal 'Hun', shown raping and pillaging defenceless women and children, or trampling British 'Liberty' underfoot. Both sides made use of exaggerated stereotypes.
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