Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-01-16
cARIcATURE IN FRANCE.
Prominent People lampooned in Ad-
vertisine Posters.

Many Americans have the belief
that their country leads all others in
the invention of means and methods
of advertising and in the cleverness
with which these are employed. But
In at least two respects American ad-
vertising is inferior to the French.
American writers of the so-called
reading notice have never arrived at
the degree Of art of French writers of
similar matter. Many a paid article
in the French journals is so fascinat-
ing from beginning to end and its real
purpose so deftly disguised that the
reader has an unalloyed sense of sat-
isfaction at having perused 1t, even
when finally discovering its character,
ard even though it may not have in
fiuenced him in any practical way.
Such articles have q literary turn. Ii
IL were not so they would not be ad-
mitted to place beside the produc-
tions of Anatole France, Jules Car
cite. Alfred Caups and other famous
authors.
In the American reading notice. on
the, other hand the cloven foot is al
ways pretty certain to manifest itself
been partly entrapped lays down the
publication in disgust the moment he
has discovered the trick. The marked
differece in the two examples is that
the French writer knows how TO
avoid giving offense to the self-esteem
of the reader often, in fact, he flat
ters it--while the American usually in
advertently commits the blunder OF
causing him to feel that the object of
the article or paragraph in question is
to make a fool of him.
In the other feature of French ad-
vertising referred to 1t Is wholly un-
rivaled This is caricature. Public
personages are the legitimate prey or
playthings of the mercantile artists in
France, as they are of him who draws
for the burlesque weeklies. A mercan-
tile artist, with the gift of caricature,
can make money easily in Paris. The
public follows his work with child
like fidelity. 1t laughs as he bids
and the more cordially that it does not
have to pay at all for the privilege.
Caricature in advertising has not as
vet become common in the newspa-
pers. but for years 1t has been con-
cards on some Of the most prominent
street corners Of Paris. and 1t is now
for the first time beginning to in
wade the provinces. 1t is noted that
the commercial houses which make
use of 1t are also among the most
enterprisins in newspaper advertising.
Hence ii cannot be argued that the il
Illuminated 'placards in any sense take
the place Of the latter. On the con-
trary the popularity of caricature as
a means of advertising seems to point
in France to it's general adoption soon
er or later in newspapers.
Caricature displayed on the highway,
at street corners where the human
tide swirls and eddies incessantly, Is
real feature of Partisan outdoor life.
The Frenchman's fondness for ridicule
of his neighbors, more especially OF
such as are in the public eye, finds
here abundant qualification.
An artist named Molok was the first
to win notoriety by turning caricature
to commercial account. His most gift
ed successor is his pupil, Emile Muller,
and after him may be ranked Trem-
bley, whose work, however. is less fin
lSneu anu fuuci III S"hSeP''"Ai' "' ~ ~
in execution. A word-'publimage,
a combination Of public and
"image"--was coined for this kind of
advertising by Guerin, photographer,
and 1t is now generally accepted.
Marseilles, Lyons, Bordeaux and even
smaller cities have been invaded by
the taste for "publimage." and there
/ is a considerable and growing demand
for specimens of it among collectors
Of curious prints and drawings.
The commercial caricaturist finds
his great stock in trade in the foibles
and misfortunes of public 'personages.
He treats them with quite as much
originality as do his brother artists of
the professionally funny periodicals
and often with much greater boldness.