Guido Buzzelli - Allegory of Cold War

Guido Buzzelli (Roma, 1927-1992) was comic artist, illustrator and fine painter. Widely considered as one of the masters of Italian comics, visionary artist with a powerful and well recognizable style, he was just great at drawing everything. But especially animals (both real and imaginary) and sexy women.

While it's clear that the bald eagle represents the U.S.A. and the brown bear represents the U.S.S.R. (the piece dates from 1981), the peacock is an ancient symbol of immortality and perpetual renewal. Thus, since it's shown here in the skeleton form, it's quite apt to symbolize a nuclear holocaust.

Image updated on 9/6/2014, enjoy!

(mixed media on artboard, roughly 16"x 20" - signed and dated)