L'ASINO by Guido Podrecca and Gabrielle Galantara - 1914-15: L’ASINO È IL POPOLO: UTILE, PAZIENTE E BASTONATO.

Guido Podrecca and Gabrielle Galantara. L'ASINO È IL POPOLO: UTILE, PAZIENTE E BASTONATO. Roma: Via del Tritone, 132, Anno XXIII, N. 33, 16 Agosto 1914 – No. 52, 27 Dicembre 1914; Anno XXIV, N. 1, 3 Gennaio 1915 – N. 33, 15 Agosto 1915. Year XXIV numbers 18 – 33 were printed on Via Principe Umberto, 46, Roma. Fifty-three consecutive issues are offered here. Each copy measures 37 cm x 27 cm, 8 pages, front and back covers are full-page color illustrations signed "Rata Langa" by Gabrielle Galantara (1865-1937) the principal cartoonist for L'Asino. Started in Rome by Guido Podrecca, as an anarchist publication, this weekly was shut down by the Italian Fascist Party in 1925, when its founder, Podrecca, converted to fascism. The motto on the masthead, "L'ASINO È IL POPOLO: UTILE, PAZIENTE E BASTONATO" described not only the intended readership but also the plight of the long-suffering common man: "The Ass is the people: hardworking, patient and mistreated." This collection of illustrated weekly papers covers the period just after the outbreak of World War I (July 28, 1914) when Italy was still neutral. Italy revoked its alliance with the Central Powers and entered the war on May 23, 1915 and joined the Allies. Issue 4 of January 1915 has a front cover showing the working man sweeping the crowned heads of the belligerents from their thrones. The caption under the image is: "Il terremoto che occorrerebbe per liberare l'umanità." Translated: "The earthquake that struck to liberate humanity." See: James J. Periconi, Strangers in a Strange Land, pp.104-106