Context The early 20th century in Europe was marked by the First World War, colonialism and the rise of nationalism, which in France manifested itself in heightened jingoism. The presence of soldiers from the colonies on French soil after the war created tensions among the resident population. Finally, in the world of sport, the 1920s saw African American athletes excel in several disciplines. It was in this context that the 1924 Olympic Games were held in Paris. This general situation and the political and racial ideologies that stemmed from it were reflected in the sports cartoons drawn by Marcel Arnac, illustrator and pioneer of comic strips, for Galeries Lafayette. In this stylised childish universe, there are numerous stereotypical representations of non-European athletes, in terms of their physical appearance, clothing, names and mediocre sporting performances. For their part, the French are not always portrayed in a favourable light, either. Sometimes it is chance or luck that leads them to victory, but they always remain superior to their opponents.   Description VIII. Fencing Nimble and quick, the French fencer easily outwits his Italian opponent with his tousled black hair and “humorous” name, Sucrecandi (sugar candy). This bout between two great fencing nations is a nod to the political tensions between France and Italy at the time. In the background, the spectators are depicted with stereotypical features associated with their countries of origin: slanting eyes, ginger hair, big ears or red mouths.