Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-07-29
Caricature Journalism.

To say that Punch has become an English
institution Is simply to say, In other words that
1t Is freely grumbled at at times. But ii the
grumhlerS tuIn their attention to such ana.
'Iogues OF the London C1td1fcari as exist In
other countries, IL will be hard Tor them to say
mat they manage these things better else
where. Take, for instance the comic papers
OF France. Not only Is there no attempt at
anything Ike the complete representation
OF the light side of social and political life
which Pinch affects, but the whole status
OF The periodicals is different The ten
dency Of caEicature in France for many years
has bten ever more and more to the reduc-
ion OF labor. Some OF the cartoons OF
the French comic papers resemble rather
that remarkable hogarthian sketch OF the Ser
Seaht AID his dog entering tavern than any
more explicit and less Sryptographic form OF
dellneat1on. No doubt this often gives point
and spirit TO the drawing, but it also often
serves only TO get the artist out of the difficulty
6 Oh haVthg really nothing to draw on the other
though in different enough style. by Mr. Du
Maurier, has been to tell the story as COM
pletely as possible and to be lavishly generous
OF accessories Even Mr.. Sambourne's less
apparently labored work is full OF reconcile
hits and strokes for the mind to interpret,
whereas the very first glance tells all that is
ever likely to be told by most OF the works OF
the Paris caricaturist. Nor is this merely the
conclusion OF patriotic arrogance. Since Ga
yarnt and Daumier there has been no carica-
turlSt IN France who has united technical skill
with wide range and serious purpose. The
recent death OF III. De Noe, better known by his
punning nom de plume OF Cnam, has left our
neighbors with hardly one artist or the first
rank even In the lighter kinds OF what may be
called the Journalism OF the pencil. AS for the
other countries Of Europe, they can stand the
comparison even less. The heavfne5S OF Ger
man Wit has perhaps been made the most OF In
France and England, but the draughtsmanShip
and the jokes OF the kiGddeTdddtscb and
It's fellows are certainly calculated to
make an EDglshman return to MessrS.
Tennfel and Du Maurier and Bur-
nand with considerable zest. AS for
the southern countries, the SuStentation or a
regularly fed magazine OF JeStS, written and
pictured, is not at all in their way. The satire
OF the south OF Europe, from the provincial Sir
renteS downward, has always been personal
and spasmOdic In character, and has rarely
reached the level OF systematic humor. IL Is
| not given to man to command continual sue
| cess lii testing. and the excellent person with
| the hump has undoubtedly been known to nod.
| But we repeat, without fear Of contradiction.
| that the volumes OF Punch {sow many are
| there?) are not the most despicaole OF the mon.
uments OF English pen and pencil work in the
| 18th century. Perhaps we have never had
| draughtsmah quite OF the heroic height OF Ga
| Vafni in the days when, for almost an entire
| year, he turned out a full-page Autograph and
| its legend regularly every day. But II we havs
| not the individual we have the institution
| London Standard.