The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1902-06-06
ART OF CARICATURE
EVOLUTION AND INFLUENCE OF THE
NEWSPAPER CARTOON.

Eighteenth Century Crnze.
The story Is told Of an abbe of the
seventeenth century who was as de-
formed In figure as he was ridiculous
In dress. and as sensitive about his
physical deformity as he was vain Of
bis eccentric attire, that while serving
4 mass one morning he observed a smile
Of contempt on the face of one OF the
courtiers present and determined to
avenge himself by serving n process
upon him for appearance In court the
following day
The offender. NJ. de LassOn by name,
knowing that things would 20 hard
with him unless he could show some
treason for his mirth, made a hasty
sketch Of the hunchback able, exag-
lgerating In size the six black caps and
lthe waistcoats in which he was wont
10 appear, and when he was solemnly
asked TO show cause for his unseemly
tmirth and indignity TO the holy church
De suddenly displayed before his judges
{he caricature of { abbe as his "eX-
otuse." The likeness was so excellent
bnd the cartoon so grotesque that the
bntire court fell TO laughing. and the
bccused was liberated without repri.
hand.
| This is the first authentic case OF the
Power of the cartoon in a hall of jus
Olce, but 1t illustrates the power of the
pencil in depicting the follies of the
polish and the affectations of the arti-
lcial.
There is no telling when the art Of
bricature began. There are a number
grotesques that have come down to
from earliest Egyptian times. The
1reeks employed pictures TO emphasize
beir satire. 9nd so did the Romans.
II through the middle ages there were
umberless examples Of "grotesque-
I@les" which, curlously enough. were
wed In enforcing the doctrines of the
l@iurch by means Of satirizing the devil.
Tut the eighteenth century was the
byday Of the cartoon.
Beginning In France and overrunning
dto Holland and thence across the
Nannel into England the food of curi-
n lturists carried everything before ii,
~ ID 1t is safe to say that we read the
story Of the times with clearer vision
d with more accuracy Of detail for
n af mirror which caricaturists held up
a reflect the striking peculidrities Of
u-- men and events passing before 1t.
andiautier mentions Spanish cartoon
Francisco Gaya y Lucientcs a mix
he of Rembrandt, Vatican and Ra-
ais, who preceded the tyyo great car
turists of the latter half Of the
hteenth century. George Cruikshank
England and NJ. Charlet in France
prlet is known as the father Of mod
nT social caricature and holds MS good
~ TO his position as does Philipau to
I anf Of the father of comic journalism,
proy1h lie Charivari, the strongest paper
our Its kind. Then came Punch i'm Eng.
D. which still retains its subtitle Of
on London Charivari. for years the
.ao- 1nl If not the most highly polished
emplfeter of British life. Upon its staff
luuinh Leech, Richard Doyle. John Fen.
Tar George du Maurier and a dozen
uart Of lesser name kept Great Britain
detaipod humor for two generations.
cheer cheer has been reserved for America,
"y. to bring forth new race OF
eaturists, which for lack of n better
may be called the personal car
lists, men who seize upon the char
ristics of an individual and so ex-
rate them that the subjects OF the
are known by the most promi.
TIE features in their physical, mental
bral makeup.
di9eshe there was one man in London a
4 Troffed years ago, Gillray by name,
iirectihad this faculty of dissecting his
sct until he found his weakest
h and then numerically pricking 1t
n his drawing pencil. but with him
M pee died out, to be reincarnated in
XR4 lea. Gillray was close observer
NW pple and events. He would sit in
%O hblisher's window and watch the
fG of the court as they passed and
WI } In his memory every feature by
~ u man would be recognized by
iuaintances. He remembered ev
= 'ry that related to the traits OF
N Stter of those in the public eye,
fhSshe st. James street of 1900 is
&8&B3nlly reproduced in his art.
85333a#haps we Americans look at the
of life more than other peo-
certain 1t is we have more and
Etfartoonists than elsewhere The
M thickness with which we see the
(#J6f,of joke demands equal facility
raying drollery in cartoon. We
Ill. Eboldly and leave much Of the
ds II asssary detail to our slower cous-
), it faibe" too orr puhlic.e events hap
Il refunb FAvn srarrnTg rd1ld1ry tnat a
- yesterdays dolngs would be
" maSS,mnoi tIay. and we must keep very
and be ready for political
-. overnight.
her words. the alert American
ave depicted in his cartoon the
ATS Of character that have made
that he is. the quickest and
.hoast of men.-Thomas Mast in
~ Wv rk News.