Historical and Contemporary Perspectives: Metaphorical Significance of Tooth Extraction in Lithographs and Postcards in the 19th and 20th Centuries in Their Specific Socio-Historical Context.

Abstract

In historical illustrations and caricatures, the extraction of a tooth served as a powerful metaphor and threatening gesture that extended far beyond the medical context. This article examines the symbolic significance of this dental procedure and the extracted tooth as an expression of loss, disempowerment, and territorial dispossession. The comparison covers a wide range of visual representations from the French Revolution (1789-1799), the French July Revolution (1830), the Crimean War (1853-1856), the Austro-Prussian War (1866), the Franco-Prussian War (1870/71), to the First (1914-1918) and Second (1939-1945) World Wars and places them in their respective historical contexts. In this way, the comparison provides an insight into 150 years of European history in a dense and consecutive time sequence, which ultimately culminated in the great catastrophe of the Second World War.

By analyzing lithographs and postcards as propaganda images, the article shows how the act of tooth extraction was used metaphorically to illustrate political and social upheaval. Particular attention is paid to the depiction of tooth loss as a symbol of loss of power and privileges, as an act of humiliation and disenfranchisement, and as a sign of territorial expansion, inevitably at the expense of another country, which thereby loses territory and influence.

What happened in terms of political narratives during the period under study, and are there continuities and changes in the use of metaphors and symbols in political propaganda, and what role do emotionalization and simplification play?

The article also discusses ethical issues regarding the responsibility of artists and media creators when using art and symbolism as political tools. The Italian Illustrator Gino Boccasile (1901-1952) should be given special consideration in this context. This comparative study highlights the enduring power of the illustration of a tooth extraction as a visual and rhetorical device for conveying complex historical and political narratives and emphasizes the relevance of such metaphors in modern political communication.