The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-05
CAR|CAIURE
AND HISTORY
important Part Played by
Former in Latter.
SOME OF GREAT ARTISTS
And Their SpeciaIties, All
Have Their Places.

The important role played by carica-
ture in public life has been insisted upon
pier, Gillray and even Benjamin Frank
lin are names that readily come TO mind
when examples of the corrective power of
pictorial satire are sought after. The car
toonist brings out the main point of an in
tricate argument or an ambiguous asser-
ton, hazy fact, point at issue, with n
force of succinct statement that makes of
his picture a summary review which can
be grasped in a moment.
But there is also a potentiality in tia
caricature which is frequently overlooked
The concrete and telling expression which
1t gives to certain facts, beliefs and opin-
ions. and its comments on manners and
customs, make it not only force in lis
day. but also useful record for later
tunes. The caricature is material for his
tory. The political squib or cartoon Of
former days helps TO explain the general
public attitude as well as various shades
and undercurrents of public opinion, espe-
cially in times of extraordinary political
ferment 1t emphasizes facts vaguely
known, such as the details OF local poll
tics. 1t helps in various ways to round out
the pictorial possibilities of the subject
Social satire is as obviously a document
pour sevir to the student of social history
The manners and customs of the period
foibles and fadS, vagaries of costume, SC
cial amusements, the language of the day
In its colloquial expression, and the many
other aspects of daily life, are preserved
for us. The medieval love of the ludi-
crous has given US many humorous Or
satirical comment on the life of the time,
In carvings. in miniatures. woodcuts and
scriptures.
The interest and use of the caricature
are shown by its employment as illustra-
tive material in works on social and poilt-
zeal history, such as those by John Ash
ton and Joseph Gregg on England, and
by John Grand-C arteret on France or in
biographies such as those OF Wagner and
Berloiz by Adolphe Julien. Collections of
caricatures relating to particular events,
such as the civil war. the Dreyfus case,
the Spanish-American war, or Prime
Henry of Prussia's visit to the United
States, or to particular individuals SUCH
ss the Kladderadatsch volume on Bis
marck or the Punch volume on Beacons-
field. and illustrate the possibilities ir-
Dictated.
Studies. such as those referred to- of
the intimate life Of special nations, class
es, or individuals, strongly emphasize
the fact that a large proportion OF al
works interest us because they enlist oHr
sympathies for that always interesting
subject-humanity-a that the comic
art as a contribution to the history Of
that subject plays its wel-defined part.
This is brought out with special force in
books on caricature, such as the historical
works of Thomas Wright, Champheury.
and even James Parton. who characteriz-
ed caricature as "a thing of a moment.
which dying as soon as its moment has
passed. loses all power TO interest. III
stantly and forever"-but added a big oc-
tavo to the biography Of the subject.
The spirit of specialization identifies
certain caricaturists with certain types or
classes: Charles Keene depicted the Eng
nsh bourgeois of lowry life in London.
Schlittgen delineates the German officer,
Henriot the French piou-piou. Monnier
Daumier and GaVarni have left gallery
of inimitable characters. W. l.. Shcp-
pard and z. ". Kemble have offered the
humorous side of negro life without dis
tortion The interest OF such special pro-
auctions to social history. is evident.
1t obviously falls within the province Of
print departments, such as those of tn
Congressional Library the Boston Mas =
UNI of Fine Arts. or the New York Public
Library. to preserve material of such
evident usefulness In the print room
O. ~,
the searcher after interesting or useful |
sidelights on the development of human
fly will find prints such as the Dutch /
contempory comments on the South Sea |
Bubble. Gilrays drastic record of the |
DAYS of George III. and Pitt and Fox. /
comic accounts of Presidential campaigns |
in the United States. French impress |
sions of the victors of Sedan and their !
own fallen Emperor. Amsterdam cartoons 1
of the Boer war, Spanish comments. no; /
over nice. on the war OF 9S. pictures If |
the French dry goods clerk Of the Resto--
alton bitter hits at Charles Y. or Louis /
Philippe by Decamps or Philipon. define
ations OF Whistler or Hugo by contempcr-
airy laughing philosophers.
However. IL is not necessary to contin-
Ne TO cite instances in order 10 prove that |
there is an element Of distinct future util
fly in caricature-using the word in its
hroardest sense as a general term cover |
fng all comic art and pictorial satire,
though the element of distortion be alb
sent This house Of material which
proves Of an ultimate usefulness extend
ing beyond its original purpose.-Frank
Weitenkampe. in the New York Post
RECEIPT WAS FORTHCOMING.