Pip discovered this little gem in a historical archive of Steven Lowenstam. It is a poster from the Italian Communist Party (Partito Comunista Italiano, PCI). Lowenstam shot this poster while in Rome in 1984. The PCI was officially disbanded in 1991 due to widespread shifts in political structure.
(Photographer Unknown) – Italian Communist Party poster (1984)
The quality of this image is not very good so we do appeal to any readers who may have a copy in their collection to send us a better image. More information on who may have shot the photo for the poster would be welcome as well. There is some information about the Party on the internet but nothing so far on publicity campaigns included those that may have lead to this poster.
Paticia (below) found this much cleaner version of the poster:
PCI poster closeup (c1984)
Does anyone understand the context of the image? I understand the message of peace, but why are they nude?
The nudity sends many possible signals. First, the party wants to create an idyllic society where innocents are safe and healthy. Second, the party is being up-front and transparent (ie. not hiding anything). Thirdly, clothing would tip their hand and give away that they are catering to a particular class. There are many possibilities including just a crude way of getting the viewer’s attention. -Ron
Thanks Ron. That’s very insightful! I can now most certainly see how clothed children could cater to a particular class.
It’s just a possibility but I have often observed looking at old photos that it is easy to date the images because of the clothing, hairstyle, etc. Whereas nudes are timeless. -Ron
I have found only this photo in better quality:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/23866005@N07/3315955493/
Thank you for finding this. -Ron
At this time, that link brings up a message on Flickr saying that I do not have permission to view that picture.
Also on Flickr there is a new statement about how they have begun to remove “restricted” content from accounts that are free accounts, rather than “Pro” accounts. But it is not clear if they are talking about the people who posted those pictures, or the people who are trying to view those pictures.
Never mind. The image is here now. -Ron
Yes, of course it is also here.
My point is just that it is incredibly ridiculous when sites such as Flickr restrict content such as this, as if it is pornographic.
The Italian text says, “A Europe of peace and work for those who will be twenty years old in 2000.”
So children in the picture might be among two and five years old. Certainly the image is about the middle eighties.
Sorry but I did not have the means to translate the caption. Christian also brought my attention to this detail and I have corrected it. Thank you all for your vigilance. -Ron
Perhaps the translation of the caption should be included here:
A Europe of peace and work, for those who will be twenty years old in 2000.
Funny because right now in the United States, we keep hearing so much about the “millennials”, the generation that became adults at that time.