China cartoon revisiting Leonardo's Last Supper to satirize G7

ALast Supper by Leonardo da Vinci reimagined in an animalistic way: it is a Chinese satirical cartoon mocking the G7 and has gone viral in recent hours. The animals represent the various countries: in the center is the eagle of the United States as Jesus, with alongside, on the right, the British lion, the Canadian beaver, the French rooster, and, on the other side, the Italian wolf, the Japanese Akita dog, and the German hawk. Closing the circle are the Australian kangaroo and the Indian elephant-Australia and India are not part of the G7 but were guest countries at the summit held in Cornwall in recent days.

The animals are all intent on sharing China’s cake, resting on the table. It is the work of a Chinese digital artist, Bantonglaoatang, posted on the social Weibo. Several references to the geopolitical situation: Japan pouring green liquid into glasses (a reference to the release of radioactive substances from Fukushima into marine waters), Italy whose gesture of refusal seems to be a reference to its involvement in China’s Silk Road project (and therefore the country furthest distant from the G7’s sights, according to the satire), India with an IV in reference to the Covid pandemic, the United Kingdom and Canada deferentially addressing the American eagle (a sign of their awe of the U.S.), the toilet paper with which U.S. dollars are printed. For the tabloid Global Times, the English-language newspaper of the Communist Party of China, which relaunched the cartoon, the illustration reveals “the evil intentions of the West seeking to besiege China.”

The same newspaper provides a key take on the Italian wolf figure: “Italy, the first European and G7 country to have joined China in the Silk Road initiative, is reluctant to cooperate with the United States in choking China.” Finally, there is no shortage of references to U.S. racism: the bloody cotton tassels (under the right arm of the British lion) and the stumps near the feet, symbolizing the stain of slavery, with which the U.S. built part of its prosperity.

China cartoon revisiting Leonardo's Last Supper to satirize G7

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