John Heartfield produced this masterpiece for Italien in Ketten in 1928. Italian dictator Benito Mussolini developed the ideology of fascism circa 1922. There are established rules for establishing a fascist state. Fascist ideology always ends badly,
John Heartfield’s 1928 portrait of Benito Mussolini The Face Of Fascism (Das Gesicht Des Faschismusbrilliantly plays off Mussolini’s famous declaration, “I will change the face of Italy.” He was correct. He was correct. He changed Italy’s “face” to a death head of suffering.
Heartfield brilliantly used the technique of double exposure to produce this chilling portrait of fascism.
Mussolini, eager to control the Mediterranean, annexed Ethiopia on May 9, 1936. Mussolini’s fascist assault used poison gas and air strikes against civilians. Hundreds of thousands were slaughtered.