File:The history of the nineteenth century in caricature (1904) (14780303671).jpg

Identifier: historyofninetee01maur (find matches)
Title: The history of the nineteenth century in caricature
Year: 1904 (1900s)
Authors: Maurice, Arthur Bartlett, 1873-1946 Cooper, Frederic Taber, 1864-1937, joint author
Subjects: History, Modern Nineteenth century Caricature
Publisher: New York : Dodd, Mead
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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throws light upon the con-temporary attitude of the public, is equally interesting to-day,whether it anticipated the event or was published a monthafterward. But in order to influence public opinion, carica-ture must contain a certain element of prophecy. It mustsuggest a danger or point an interrogation. As an example,we may compare two famous cartoons by the English artistGillray, A Connoisseur Examining a Cooper and the King of Brobdingnag and Gulliver. In the latter, GeorgeIII., in the guise of a giant, is curiously examining throughhis magnifying glass a Lilliputian Napoleon. There is noelement of prophecy about the cartoon. It simply reflectsthe contemptuous attitude of the time toward Napoleon, andunderestimates the danger. The other cartoon, which ap-peared several years earlier, shows the King anxiously ex-amining the features of Coopers well-known miniature ofCromwell, the great overthrower of kings. Public sentimentat that time suggested the imminence of another revolution,
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4 CENTURY IN CARICATURE and the cartoon suggests a momentous question: Will thefate of Charles I. be repeated? In the light of history, theGullivc- cartoon is to-day undoubtedly the more interesting,but at he time of its appearance it could not have produced•pulling approaching the sensation of that of a Connois-seur. The necessity of getting a caricature swiftly before the pub-lic has always been felt, and has given rise to some curiousdevices and makeshifts. In the example which we have notedas having come down from Roman times, a patriotic citizenof Pompeii could find no better medium for giving his car-toon of an important local event to the world than by scratch-ing it upon the wall of his dwelling-house after the fashion ofthe modern advertisement. There was a time in the seven-teenth century when packs of political playing-cards enjoyedan extended vogue. The fashion of printing cartoons uponladies fans and other articles of similarly intimate characterwas a transitory fad in

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