Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-12-05

LHO VI tuACO Ciuu1otl9 uINWu ukuICd
were placed without background or
perspective, and from the mouth OF
each figure was a scroll or loop, look
ing like an elongated balloon. In
each loop was a long speech, usually
taking the form Of q political
harangue. The names Of the men the
figures were intended to represeu.
we're printed under them. The plain
est figures and the longest speeches
produced the best effects. Now it is
all reversed, and the most artistic
picture, without a line Of caption,
gains the most admiration"
What has led up to this2"
1.-THE education of the people as
much as anything, 1t is only Of
recent years that the public could be
made to think in this direction. By
degrees the cartoons were improved
and elaborated until now, as | have
said, we are at a higher point than
ever before"
Are your caricatures the result Of
a happy thought or an inspiration
usually2'
Well" remarked the artist with q
grin that took all the romance out Of
the subject at a swoop; there is about
as much inspiration about caricaturing
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 our
pictures are produced week after
week, year after year, is it2"
THAT is it exactly"
We'll, to begin with, it is necessary
to read the daily papers very carefully
aud to keep thoroughly abreast Of the
times This is not to be done with
any idea Of amusement, but as a nee
essary course Of study, Then every
morning the members of the staff Of
the paper meet and discuss the ad
visibility of drawing such and such a
picture. Every illustration, you know,
must be accompanied by an editorial
Sometimes the editor cannot write for
q cartoon suggested by al artist, and
often an artist is unable to carry out
the ideas Of an editor. In either case
the subject is abandoned and a 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 thor
oughly an idea, and its presentation
beforeit is widely understood leads to
confusion. Much more, how
ever, is the eject OF a cartoon
that comes out too late. 1t
fall fat then, aud the paper suffers
palpably. 1t is sometimes very diff
cult to avoid thing Of this sort. We
get caught In spite of ourselves once
in a while, but often escape by a
miracle. The best instance | ever
heard Of was in the great political
contest at Chicago in 1880, when the
machine wee the standing terror Of the
people. We 60 to press on Friday, and
the paper is issued early Wednesday
morning. We found it was necessary
to have a picture Of the greet Chicago
~sensation, but couldn't tell what the
political situation would be by the
time the paper was issued, FIVE or six
days later, aud we're nervous about it.
At last-this is a state secret-we
decided to produce something that
might be construedleither way. Late
Friday l went to work On a double
page picture representing the ma
chine as being blown TO atoms with
Grant and the 1906 spinning in
the air. We intended to say
that the picture represented the wish
Of the people, but did not dare to
hope that the machine fellly would 20
up. Tuesday night. however, the
great blast occurred, and we came out
q few hours later with our picture,
which had been printing ever since
Friday. We took big chances and
won. That one success did a great
deal for US, and We gained a great
reputation for prophetic wisdom. |
am Of the opinion that a forecast is
the strongest kind Of picture.
Are the greatest successes gained
with political subjeotsfi
We'll, it is a great field, but social
subjects are almost as important. The
trouble ! have always found is that
Americans are not quite broad enough.
They see harm where none is intended
or thought OF, and | am obliged to
exercise the greatest ~precaution to
keep the pictures at a certain standard.
BothGerman and French caricaturists
exercise their imaginative faculties in
a way that would call out unquali
aed condemnation here. If in the
course Ofdrawing a picture they have
an opportunity of introducing a female
figure, they throw in one with volup
tuous curves and attractive pose, and
the revelation Of @ we'll turned leg
detraets nothing from her attractive
ness. The French and German public
see nothing oensurable in that, but il
It is tried here IN awful hue and cry
is raised7"
How do you catch the portFsita Of
public men3"
Ut is not done by intuition. We
have all the photographs that we can
gather Of celebrities, and every year
go to Albany and Washington and
spend several weeks in making careful
sketches Of public men. TO a prac
ticed eye every man suggesss some
animal. David Davis, for instance,
iFresistibly suggests the elephant. Ii
is one Of the rare old principles Of the
craft that Grant must alwoys smoke
aud JEFF Davis wear h~oopskirts.
Beechre is made by scattering some
long hair oyer a very red face with
thick lips and boefy chin"
"How did you come to adopt carl
oaturing2"
II was a landscape painter first. and
did some portrait painting later on,
and then vent on the stage as a char.
apEer actor. Whatever success | nav
have gained is the result of these
favorable conditions, for ms expert.
enco on the stage taught me how 10
pose figures so as to give them ANNA
zion and life; my portrait painting
gave me good command 10 that diFec-
ton, and NY early work grounded
NE in thai which makes a picture
complete.