Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-11-24
AMERICAN CARICATURE.
The victims said Rather to Like It
Secrets Of the Tradc-t1cads In stock.
From the New York SUM-

The victims Said Rather to Like it,
| Secrets Of the Tradc-i1cads In Stock.
From the New York SUM-
"Caricaturing is now more popular than
ever before in America, and the Probabilities
are that the public will continue to cncour-
age it," remarked well-known carica,urst
sententiously, as he gently stroked his chin
whsker and gazed at the toes Of his boots.
| Yes there arc many good caricaturisis
now."
"TLat has nothing on earth to do with it"
he replied, calmly tapping the toes OF his
boots together, and pursuing up his mouth
lie is II man whose pencil has made him
large fortune in this particular line, and he
IL, therefore, entitled to contradict freely.
There have always been men who were ca
pabc of turning their Lands to the produc-
ton of telling satircs but it is only of recent
years that the public has shown n disposition
to support them. Many men remember how
barren aud unatractivc the old school carl
catuing was"
"Ihe cartoons of the present day would
have been absolutely useless twenty years
ago. Then the most ambitious efforts were
made to look crude in the extreme. Two or
three clumsily drawn figures were placed
without background or perspective, and
from the mouth of each figure was II scroll
or loop, looking ikc.an clongatel balloon.
In each loop was "A long speech, usually
taking the form of political haranguc.
The names of the mcr the figures were in
tended to represent were printed uudcrlt ltlcnl.
The planest figures and the longest speeches
produced the best effects. Now it is all re-
verscd, and the most artistic picture, with
out line of caption, gains the most admira-
ton"
'What has led up 10 this!'
The education Of the people as much us
anything. 1t is only of recent years that
the public could be made to think in this di-
rection. BY degrees the cartoons were i'm
proved and elaborated until now, as have
said, we are at higher point than ever be-
fore"
"Arc your caricaturcs the result of hap
py thought or an inspiration usually"
well" remarked the artist with n gruth
took all the romance out Of the subject at \
swOop; "there is about as much inspiration
about carcaturng as there is about cleaning
streets. Success is achieved by persistent
and untiring study and genuine hard work.
What you wish TO know is how pictures are
Produced week after week, year after year,
is IL"
THAT is it exactly
"Well, to begin with, it is necessary to
read the daily papers very carefully, and to
keep thoroughly abreast of the times. This
is not to be done with any idea Of amuse-
ment, but as necessary course of study.
Then every morning the members of the
stall of the paper meet and discuss the adj
visibility of drawing such and such II bic
turc. Every illustration, YOU know, must be
accompanied by an editorial Sometimes
the editor can not write for a cartoon sug-
Csted by an artist, and often an artist is un-
able to carry out the ideas of an editor, in
either case The subject is abandoned aud II
new one thought up.
1t is always difficult to get good ideas.
Great care must be taken not to come out
too early with a political cartoon, for it takes
the public some time to grasp thoroughly an
idea, and its presentation before il is widely
S understood leads to confusion. Much worse
however, is the effect of II cartoon that comes
out too late. 1t falls flat then, and the paper
$ suffers palpaby. 1t is sometimes very diff
] cult to avoid thing of this sort. We get
caught in spite of ourselves once in II while
but often escape by Il miracle.
4 "Are the greatest successes gained with po
litica subjects!"
t "Well it is great field. but social sub
Z ects are almost as important. The iroubl,
n / have always found is that Americans ar,
l not quite broad enough. They see ham
|. am obliged to exercise the greatest precau
$ ton to keep the pictures at a certain stand
| ard. Both German and French caricaturist
$ exercise their imaginative faculties in a wa,
4 that would call ont unqualified condemnation
here. If in the cours. OF drawing pictur,
: they have an opportunity ofinlroducing fe
maze figure, they throw in one with volup
+ tuous curves and attractive pose, and the rev
elaton of well turned leg dctracts nothin!
r from her attractlveuess. The French an,
C German public see nothing censurable il
c that, but If it is tried here an awful hue an,
cry is iaised."
C ''iIow do you catch the portraits of pubI
n mem"
e at is not done by intuition. We have al
t the photographs that we can gather of celeb
r rites, and every year 60 to Albany ant
J. Washington and spend several weeks il
1t making careful sketches OF public men. II
n u pracliscd eye every man suggests some an
1t inal. David Davis for instance ricsistabl
c suggests tie elephant. Ii Is one of the ra
-c old principles of the craft that General Gran
is must always smoke and Jeif Davis wca
1t hoop skirts. Beccher is made by scattering
e some very long hair over very red face
with thick lips and bccfy chin"
'c slow did You come TO adopt carioatui
;" ing?"
l. II was landscape painter first, and di
y some portrait painting later on and the
L. went on the stage as II actor. Wha,cvt
j. success may have gained is the result q
Is these favorable conditions, for my cxper
IN enCc ON the stage taught me how TO pos
IN figures SO as to give them animation am
n lite ; my portrait painting gave me goo
in command in that direction and my earl
a. work grounded me in that which makes
il picture complete"
nc ado people object to being caricaiured?
e. politicians do not now, but they create
I'd some trouble years ago. They have tiled
he bribe me in two Instances, and | have receiN
us ed Il number of threatening letters, but I'll
l2 majority of victims enjoy the publicity W
II. are very much annoyed, and have been fC
Al years, by people who imagine that we u
OF putting caricaiures of them in our pictur,
when we have probably never seen them b
To fore. One man came down to the office an
m protested vehemently every time We printe
a II picture with Postmaster James's face in i
,t lie was crank, and imagined that he lool
in ed like the Postmaster, but there was 1
" likeness whatever Mr.. Henry Bergh b,
sc called twice to protest. and we have had
number of other cases"
wv 'ls the remuneration for the work of cal
ne catuIing heavyg"
NJ "A bright man can make plenty of none.
at A conscientious man of moderate ability ca
oi made very good living indeed"
o.
10 Our Heroes at Home. "And oh, by Il
At. bye, my son tells me you don't make h
in shirt collars sill enough. He's in the Guard
A. L..