The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-28
CONCERNING CARTOONS.

F. Opper, in Brandur Magazine.

f. Opper, in Brandur Magazine.
A cartoon appeals to the person who
looks at IL only in so far as IL reflects MS
or her particular opinions general men
tai attitude. If it appeals thus to large
number of people Ii is called popular,
though the cause Of its popularity may not
be easy to define. Probably in most cases
this cause will be found in the novelty or
ingenuity of the idea and in the force and
effectiveness, either serious or humorous,
with which the picture is drawn. Its nov
city Is the more important quality. A
bright idea poorly drawn is often hailed
with delight; weak idea, no matter how
well drawn, is almost never successful. A
cartoonist who has not at his disposal
either an inventive brain of his own or the
inventive brains of others to keep him sup
piled with good subjects need not hope for
much fame, however great may be his
technical ability. Without ideas he cannot
reach the people.
This suggests the question, what sort Of
a cartoon is likely to interest the greater
number of people, the serious or the hui
morous? Certainly the occasions when
serious cartoon IS called for are compare
lively few. The public, vastly tolerant OF
wrongdoing and official rascality, patient
under Industrious oppression, loves to
smile. When all is said the serious cartoon
is chiefly used for two purposes only-to
express sorrow at the death of a public
character and to express sympathy for the
sufferings of the poor. The former duty
is generally carried out by means of a pic
ture representing Uncle Sam in an attitude
of deep detection beside bier. The second
usually takes the guise Of poor woman
with an infant at her breast and a small
child at her heels, arrested by an overfed
policeman for stealing loaf of bread, while
in the background several stout and bru-
tal-looking captains of industry, with
shiny silk hats and white waistcoats, rob
weak citizen with impunity. Outside OF
these | do not think there are many SUBJ
jects that cannot be more effectively treat
ed in humorous than in a serious man.
ner.
The strongest cartoons that I can remem
Der have, almost without exception, been
humorous ones Thomas Mast dealt the
Tweed ring heavy blows, but there was
humor in every one of them, and his anti
Catholic pictures-in my opinion the most
powerful cartoons ever drawn-cOntafned
unmistakable drollery in addition to their
tremendous force John Tenniel, of Punch,
during his unmatched career Of activity
drew good many serious cartoons, but
they are not among those that one remem-
bers. His fame rests on the remarkable
number of keenly humorous cartoons
though, perhaps, to an American mind,
somewhat too conservative and quiet-that
he produced week after week for so many
years.
Again. the serious cartoon, to be good.
must be wholly serious and must contain
nothing funny. But the average cartoon
list, grave or gay, has often curious ten
dency to treat subordinate details of his
pictures carelessly. Such artistic mistakes
humorous picture; If anything they en-
nance its comicality. but they are disas-
| trouS to a serious design. A figure of Jus
tice, stern and implacable, loses something
| of its impressiveness if Justice happens to
| be little out of plumb and tipping for
! ward or backward. A heartless plutocrat
| gorging himself at his luxurious table
| while the poor starve at his door will ex-
cite more laughter than indignation if his
| costly furniture looks wobbly, and If the
| careless artist has given only three legs to
| the chair he is sitting on.
! / am naturally prejudiced in favor OF
| the humorous cartoon because nature has
not fitted me to do any other kind. but /
/ think that the TESTERS staff with the cap
| and bells at its end can strike as hard
blow as the tithingmans rod. And the
| jester can try every day to improve society,
while the tithingman keeps the congrega-
ton in order only on Sundays. However
this may be, and whatever may be the rel
alive merits of the serious and the humor-
Gus cartoon, / am thankful to kind nature
for making me look with good humor on
the follies and misdeeds of my fellow-men,
and by preference to draw them with their
| mouths curving upward instead Of down.
ward.