Pesi Graditi ee sgraditi. Papagallo No. 6. Anno VI.

Translation of the legend: "Several weights, each one has to carry its weight, the more serious it is, the longer the trip seems to be, and they will come sooner or later according to their strength".
This lithograph shows a procession, with Bismarck as its head, carrying the globe on his shoulders and World Politics (World Politica), followed by figures representing the European nations and each bearing his burden, against the backdrop of the rise of nationalisms, the war of the East (Russo-Turkish) and a Bismarck opening for peace and balance of power in Europe but in the interest of Germany.

"Bismarck was above all a man of the old regime who intends to preserve the" dynastic legitimacy "of Europe. As such, he was, throughout the period, a fierce opponent of revolutionary ideas and movements for the emancipation of minorities.
In 1872, he created a "conservative bloc" around Germany, embodied by the Entente of the Three Emperors (Germany, Austria, Russia) and bound by the Polish question (these three countries are the beneficiaries of the division of Poland from the Treaty of Vienna of 1815).

For twenty years, the German Chancellor worked to maintain a relative peace in Europe in the interest of Germany. For this, it tried to preserve the balance of powers by maintaining the territorial status quo, ensuring that no European power was able to take a decisive advantage over others.
Thus, after the Russian victory over the Ottoman Empire (1877), Germany weighs all its weight to avoid a Russian domination of the Balkans. The Berlin Treaty, negotiated under the presidency of the "Iron Chancellor", was a masterpiece of compromise: the independence of Romania and Serbia, Slav brothers of Russia, are proclaimed: Austria-Hungary occupies Bosnia, the United Kingdom obtains Cyprus, France gets rights on Tunisia and Italy on Tripolitania (current Libya).
By these multiple concessions, Bismarck obtains the support of the European leaders by guaranteeing the balance of the forces: everybody wins (except the Ottoman Empire ...) but nobody obtains a decisive advantage. (The Eyes of the World.fr).

Taken from the Italian satirical newspaper Il Papagallo, this plate N°6 has a descriptive text, in Italian language. "When these stars are set, the song of the rooster hovers around the world.
"'Il Papagallo' was a satirical magazine founded in January 1873 by Augusto Grossi (1835-1919), which specialized in color-printed caricatures like this one. At its peak circulation reached 50,000, and in 1878 a Parisian version, 'Le Perroquet', and London edition, 'The Parrot', were launched. 'Il Papagallo' closed in 1915, when Grossi was 70 years old.

More about Augusto Grossi and Il Papagallo. [+]