Original Item. Only One Available. This is an original Imperial Russian World War I color lithographic propaganda poster depicting the fighting along the Vistula River near Ivangorod (present-day Dęblin, Poland) during the Warsaw-Ivangorod Operation of October 1914. Published in Moscow by the lithographic establishment of M. A. Streltsov, the poster belongs to the numbered European War series and is identified as No. 14, dating to approximately 1914-1915.

The large, horizontally arranged poster is headed ЕВРОПЕЙСКАЯ ВОЙНА (European War), with a dramatic multicolored battle scene occupying most of the sheet. Russian infantrymen in green uniforms engage opposing troops along a contested river crossing, with soldiers fighting on pontoon bridges amid artillery explosions, smoke, and damaged wooden structures. Numerous figures struggle in the water, while others fire from the riverbanks or attempt to reach safety. The illustration is rendered in vivid greens, blues, yellows, and reds, with the energetic composition characteristic of Russian popular wartime lithography.

Beneath the illustration is the printed caption БОЙ НА ВИСЛѢ ПОДЪ ИВАНГОРОДОМЪ, translating as "Battle on the Vistula near Ivangorod," followed by a two-column Russian account of the fighting. The lower right carries the publisher's imprint identifying M. A. Streltsov's lithographic establishment in Moscow, at 83 First Meshchanskaya Street. The lower left bears the series number 14. The lettering retains pre-revolutionary Russian orthography, including the historical letter ѣ and terminal hard signs.

The accompanying narrative describes determined attempts by the opposing armies to force a crossing of the Vistula, emphasizing the role of Russian infantry and fortress artillery in repelling the attacks and destroying pontoon bridges. It also makes substantial claims concerning German and Austro-Hungarian losses, reflecting the patriotic character of Russian wartime reporting.

Condition is fair overall, with considerable age and storage wear. The paper has developed general toning and discoloration, with creasing, scattered tears, and small losses around the perimeter, particularly along the upper and lower edges. Old fold lines cross the sheet, with localized splitting and wear at their intersections. The reverse exhibits pronounced fold discoloration, adhesive residue, and old tape repairs. The central illustration retains strong coloration and clearly defined detail, while the principal inscriptions and much of the descriptive text remain legible. Careful handling is recommended, particularly around the weakened folds and damaged margins.

Historical Context

The Warsaw-Ivangorod Operation, fought during September and October 1914, was a major campaign on the Eastern Front involving the Imperial Russian Army against combined German and Austro-Hungarian forces. The fighting developed across central Poland during the opening months of the First World War, when the opposing armies were attempting to secure important railway connections, river crossings, and fortified positions. The campaign followed the Russian defeats in East Prussia and the considerable setbacks suffered by Austria-Hungary during the earlier operations in Galicia.

Ivangorod, known today as Dęblin, occupied an important strategic position near the confluence of the Vistula and Wieprz Rivers. The fortress complex had been developed during the nineteenth century as part of the Russian defensive system in Congress Poland, protecting an important crossing and communications route. By 1914, its military importance was closely connected to the surrounding railway network, which facilitated the transportation of troops, ammunition, and supplies across Russian-controlled territory.

During the autumn offensive, the German Ninth Army, commanded by General Paul von Hindenburg, advanced through central Poland toward Warsaw, while the Austro-Hungarian First Army operated farther south in the Ivangorod sector. The German advance was intended to disrupt Russian preparations for further operations against Germany and Austria-Hungary, while also relieving pressure on Austro-Hungarian forces fighting in Galicia. Russian formations belonging to the Northwestern and Southwestern Fronts concentrated around Warsaw and the Vistula, preparing to resist the offensive and eventually launch a counterattack.

The fighting near Ivangorod intensified throughout October, particularly as Austro-Hungarian forces attempted to overcome Russian positions protecting the river crossings. Infantry and artillery played important roles on both sides, while military engineers faced the difficult task of constructing and maintaining temporary crossings under enemy fire. The Vistula presented a substantial natural obstacle, and control of its bridges and approaches was essential to the movement of large formations.

By the latter half of October, the Central Powers' offensive had lost momentum. Russian counterattacks and the growing pressure on German and Austro-Hungarian positions eventually forced a withdrawal from much of the territory gained during the operation. On October 26, the Austro-Hungarian First Army and its German allies abandoned their immediate offensive efforts in the Ivangorod sector. The campaign ended with the Russian Army retaining control of Warsaw and Ivangorod and pushing the opposing forces westward, although further fighting in Poland continued during the following months.

The Russian success became an important subject for wartime patriotic publications. During the early stages of the conflict, illustrated newspapers, posters, and inexpensive popular prints were widely used to communicate military developments to the civilian population. Victories were frequently presented through dramatic battlefield scenes, with considerable emphasis placed on the bravery of Russian soldiers, the effectiveness of Russian artillery, and the losses inflicted upon enemy formations.

This tradition was closely connected to the lubok, a form of Russian popular illustration that originated centuries earlier and developed considerably with the introduction of commercial lithographic printing. Lubok prints combined bold, easily understood imagery with explanatory captions and short narratives. By the beginning of the twentieth century, they had become an established means of presenting historical events, patriotic subjects, religious stories, and popular entertainment to a broad audience.

During World War I, Moscow publishers produced numerous illustrated lubok prints covering important battles and developments on the Eastern Front. The lithographic establishment of M. A. Streltsov participated in this production, issuing numbered prints under the general title Европейская война (European War). These publications presented military engagements in colorful, often highly theatrical compositions, accompanied by Russian-language accounts intended to emphasize the achievements of the Imperial Army.

Such illustrations were intended for public circulation and display, bringing accounts of distant military operations into homes and other civilian settings. Their narratives frequently emphasized Russian victories and presented enemy casualties in dramatic terms, making them valuable records of contemporary patriotic sentiment as well as military-themed artwork. The claims printed on this poster concerning the destruction of German and Austro-Hungarian corps should therefore be understood within the context of wartime propaganda rather than treated as a precise record of losses.

The poster also preserves the written conventions of the final years of Imperial Russia. Its pre-revolutionary spelling, including letters and grammatical forms subsequently removed from standard Russian orthography, places the publication within the country's established literary and printing traditions before the upheavals of 1917. The war itself would contribute to the growing military, economic, and political pressures that eventually led to the fall of the Romanov dynasty and Russia's withdrawal from the conflict.