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Old Bill at Madame Cheerios, by Bairnsfather
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Old Bill at Madame Cheerios, by Bairnsfather
Old Bill at Madame Cheerios " You are shortly going on a journey across a field; an ugly man with a square head will cross your path; you will then hear a loud noise, after which you will rise very high in your profession." (Old Bill, incited by Bert to have his fortune told, before returning to the front, didn t like the sound of this forecast at all.) A cartoon by Captain Bruce Bairnsfather in The Bystander, featuring his popular character Old Bill Date: 1917
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Media ID 14171686
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Bairnsfather Bill Bruce Bystander Cheerio Fortune Madame Palm Reader Teller
EDITORS COMMENTS
Old Bill, a weary and battle-hardened soldier, sits nervously at a table in front of Madame Cheerios, a fortune teller, in this satirical cartoon by Captain Bruce Bairnsfather from 1917. Published in The Bystander magazine during World War I, this image captures the anxiety and uncertainty that many soldiers experienced as they faced the unknown future on the battlefield. Old Bill, with his distinctive square cap and pipe, looks uneasy as Madame Cheerios, a mysterious figure with an exotic headdress and a palm leaf in hand, studies his palm. The caption above the scene ominously predicts, "You are shortly going on a journey across a field; an ugly man with a square head will cross your path; you will then hear a loud noise, after which you will rise very high in your profession." Old Bill, clearly unimpressed by this forecast, looks skeptical and uneasy, with a worried expression on his face. Bairnsfather's Old Bill character was a popular figure during World War I, and this cartoon reflects the fear and superstition that many soldiers felt as they faced the unknown dangers of the battlefield. The image also highlights the role of fortune tellers and palm readers in providing comfort and guidance to soldiers during this time, as they sought to make sense of the chaos and uncertainty of war. This historic cartoon is a poignant reminder of the experiences of soldiers during World War I and the ways in which they sought to cope with the challenges and uncertainties of the front line.
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