Curatorial Narrative The “Portuguese War Poster” by Antonio Arias Bernal occupies a unique position within the canon of satirical political cartoons, its creation date unknown but its visual language unmistakably modern. The artist’s soft brushwork and genre scene subject matter belie a more subtle intent, one that wryly critiques the machinations of war through a clever manipulation of chromatic structure. The palette, a calibrated balance of blue, green, yellow, red, and white, serves to heighten the sense of unease, its bright tones tempered by an undercurrent of disquiet.When enlarged to 44×62 inches, the “Portuguese War Poster” assumes a spatial rhythm that commands attention within a luxury interior environment. The palette’s bright accents, now bold and declarative, are tempered by the soft brushwork, which lends a sense of tactility to the overall composition. As such, the work pairs well with richly textured materials, such