David Low | Professional Cartoonists' Organisation UK July 20, 2015 in Events , General , News The exhibition Outrage! A brief history of offensive cartoons is now on at the Seaside Museum in Herne Bay, Kent, the first event in the third Herne Bay Cartoon Festival. It includes works from the British Cartoon Archive in Canterbury and features David Low, the infamous Oz schoolkids’ edition, a cartoon Private Eye didn’t dare publish and a one that provoked a diplomatic incident. There is also a never-before-seen Ralph Steadman, his response to the Charlie Hebdo massacre, which is also a demonstration of the right to offend. The museum is at 12 William Street, Herne Bay, open Tues-Sun, 10am-4pm. The show runs until 16 August. The main festival exhibition, Lines in the Sand, will be held at Beach Creative from 28 July to 9 August. The gallery is in Beach Street and is open Tues-Sat 10am-4pm and Sun 11am-3pm. There will also be an exhibition of cartoons by the late Martin Honeysett, who exhibited and appeared at the first two Herne Bay events.

That will be at the Bay Art Gallery, William Street, from 28 July. The gallery is open Tues-Sun 10am-4pm. The main day of live drawing at the Bandstand, featuring big boards, workshops, caricatures, and more, is Sunday 2 August, from 12pm-5pm. There will also be comic strip and cartoon workshops at Beach Creative on Saturday 1 August and at the Bandstand on the Sunday. Jeremy Banx’s poster for the Herne Bay Cartoon Festival, as seen in Private Eye The Herne Bay Cartoon Festival is sponsored by the Professional Cartoonists’ Organisation and and supported using public funding by Arts Council England . We’ll have more nearer the time. You can see lots more coverage of the previous two events, including videos by David Good , in our Herne Bay archive . June 16, 2012 in General , Links , News © Posy Simmonds An exhibition dedicated to the work of Posy Simmonds , the creator of Tamara Drewe , has opened in Belgium. Forbidden Planet has further details here , and Paul Gravett , who co-curated the show with Simmonds, writes extensively about her life and work on his blog .

To coincide with the recent Jubilee celebrations, The Guardian looked back at a David Low cartoon published by the newspaper to widespread controversy 60 years ago. The paper observes that depictions of the Royal Family have changed dramatically since then. Read the article here . Forbidden Planet also looks at the Low cartoon, and the satire that came later, in this blog post . Pieces of original cartoon artwork can fetch healthy sums at auction, as proven by the recent sales of these works by Hergé and Bill Watterson . The first East London Comics and Arts Festival (ELCAF) takes place in Shoreditch this Sunday, June 17. The event will feature live drawing by established illustrators, panel discussions and interviews, portfolio critique sessions, and a free evening concert. See the website for more details. For a round-up of other dates for your diary, click here . 101 reasons to visit Cartoon Museum November 1, 2011 in Events An exhibition called One Hundred and One Cartoonists is at the Cartoon Museum in London from Thursday 3 November. It features cartoons, comics and caricatures from the collection of Luke Gertler, who has been collecting original cartoon artwork for more than 50 years.

On display will be works by H.M. Bateman, Max Beerbohm, Giles, David Low, Donald McGill, Thomas Rowlandson, Ronald Searle, John Tenniel and Dudley D. Watkins, among many others. Asked what drew him to the cartoons he chose for his collection of more than 800 images, Luke Gertler told the Cartoon Museum newsletter : “With cartoons, it’s the picture I would buy, rather than the joke. I liked ones with people, with characters, and the style was very important to me. I preferred rather bold colour styles, firm outlines like in John Hassall , for instance. I liked also the cartoonists who drew in wonderful detail, like Thelwell and Heath Robinson .” One Hundred and One Cartoonists runs until January 29. For more details, visit the Cartoon Museum website . April 24, 2008 in General Above: Low takes on Hitler and Mussolini. Click to enlarge Cartoons were back in the spotlight this morning with an item on BBC Radio Four’s Today show about the David Low exhibition currently running at London’s Political Cartoon Gallery.

Tim Benson of the gallery appeared on the show to discuss the work with politicians Douglas Hurd and Ken Clarke. You can see a selection of the cartoons in an online gallery at the Today website . The Best of Low is at the Political Cartoon Gallery until June 7. Low (1891–1963) is considered by many to be the greatest political cartoonist of the 20th Century. This exhibition of his work includes more than 60 original cartoons from before the First World War to the early 1960s. None of the cartoons on show have been exhibited before. The Political Cartoon Gallery is at 32 Store Street, London WC1E 7BS, and is open Monday to Friday 9.30am – 5.30pm and on Saturdays between 11.30am – 5.30pm. March 11, 2008 in General Above: Low takes on Hitler and Mussolini An exhibition showcasing the best of Sir David Low is at the Political Cartoon Gallery in London from April 23 until June 7.

Low (1891–1963) is considered by many to be the greatest political cartoonist of the 20th Century. This exhibition of his work includes more than 60 original cartoons from before the First World War to the early 1960s. None of the cartoons on show have been exhibited before and include a number that were censored before and during the Second World War. Many of the originals on show include Low’s most famous creations Colonel Blimp and the TUC Carthorse. The exhibition will also coincide with the launch of a book entitled Low and the Dictators which features the almost private war Low fought against Hitler and Mussolini from the 1920s until the end of the Second World War. The Political Cartoon Gallery is at 32 Store Street, London WC1E 7BS, and is open Monday to Friday 9.30am – 5.30pm and on Saturdays between 11.30am – 5.30pm.

Cartoon exhibition: The Best of Low | Professional Cartoonists' Organisation UK Cartoon exhibition: The Best of Low March 11, 2008 in General Above: Low takes on Hitler and Mussolini An exhibition showcasing the best of Sir David Low is at the Political Cartoon Gallery in London from April 23 until June 7. Low (1891–1963) is considered by many to be the greatest political cartoonist of the 20th Century. This exhibition of his work includes more than 60 original cartoons from before the First World War to the early 1960s. None of the cartoons on show have been exhibited before and include a number that were censored before and during the Second World War. Many of the originals on show include Low’s most famous creations Colonel Blimp and the TUC Carthorse. The exhibition will also coincide with the launch of a book entitled Low and the Dictators which features the almost private war Low fought against Hitler and Mussolini from the 1920s until the end of the Second World War.

The Political Cartoon Gallery is at 32 Store Street, London WC1E 7BS, and is open Monday to Friday 9.30am – 5.30pm and on Saturdays between 11.30am – 5.30pm. Drawn as the Fishes Swim Drawn as the Fishes Swim DRAWN AS THE FISHES SWIM by Marie Wiseman Celebrated cartoonist and satirist David Low, made a career out of satirising the great political follies of his era and famously sent Hitler a scathing drawing of himself upon request signed "from one artist to another", but as Arnold Bennett once observed “Low draws as the fishes swim” and it was his skillful draughtsmanship that singled him out early in his career and allowed him to go on to become one of the leading political cartoonists of the 20th Century. One of the most colourful and doggedly single-minded characters of the 20th Century, was first cousin to my maternal grandmother Norah Blanche Louise Baker.

Jane Caroline Flanagan, David Low’s mother was sister to six siblings including Norah’s father Edward Flanagan, my great-grandfather who went to live in Fiji from New Zealand and later changed his name to Baker. Low's mother, Carry, married a Scottish chemist from Dundee called David Brown Low, and they raised their family of eight in Dunedin until 1901, when aged ten, David and family moved to Christchurch where his father purchased a farm after winning a lottery and went on to compound cure-all patent medicines. By the time of the move to Christchurch, his formal education considered over by his unorthodox parents, David proceeded to bone up on classic literature in his own education programme, from the heights of trees in the apple orchards of the farm, and converted an old chicken house into a retreat for practising his precocious drawing skills, by copying the English comics he avidly collected , such as Chips, Comic Cuts, Larks, and Ally Sloper’s Half Holiday. Later in life, in his autobiography, Low seems to own that his confidence and persistence might be traced to his father's unconventional approach to raising his family.

Being taken with his siblings to the racecourse and shown how to bet intelligently, with the aid of Turf Register and Handbook of Form, is one development that must surely have chiselled a lasting impression on his personal future parameters. He soon began entering drawing competitions and it was not long before he was collecting prizes and approaching newspapers with his first cartoons. His first on public affairs, was published in the Christchurch satirical weekly, The Spectator, at the age of 11, when he was then commissioned by that publication to illustrate two jokes each week. So successful did he become, that newspapers in both New Zealand and Australia were quickly seeking his work. He even contributed police-court drawings to New Zealand Truth! At the age of 17 he had secured the post of full-time Political Cartoonist for a Christchurch weekly, and some three years later, employment on the staff of the Sydney Bulletin (1911), though working mainly from Melbourne by then. Studies he had undertaken at business college in New Zealand had taken second place, when for a time he had also enrolled at the Canterbury School of Art.

However, like many artists, he had found the emphasis on technique stultifying, and left to begin a brief stint with the Canterbury Times. Here he objected, as he would throughout his career, to being dragooned into drawing promotional cartoons, this time to promote compulsory military training. By the beginning of the great War, at the age of 23 in Melbourne, he was turning out cartoons vehemently opposed to Australian Prime Minister William Morris Hughes, especially over the issue of conscription. The Billy Book, lampooning Hughes, drew praise from Arnold Bennett who observed: “Low draws as the fishes swim”. Though there were personal clashes as a result, it was in the end through this sometime acrimonious link, that David Low moved on in 1916 to London’s Fleet Street and the start of his meteoric career in England, eventually joining the London Star for the handsome salary of 3000 pounds a year, though not before he had won a long battle for the guarantee of freedom from editorial constraint, nearly three years later. Before leaving New Zealand, he had met and known for just three days, a lady called Madeline Kenning.

From London he telegraphed a proposal of marriage, with prepayment for a single word response. Her positive answer was the beginning of a lifetime happy union that lasted until his death in 1963. Almost since the time of Hogarth, people had seldom been so scandalized as they were by Low’s ridicule of public figures. One of his cartoons of the time, depicted Lloyd George astride a two-headed ass, intended to represent the Tory-Liberal coalition government of the day. His response to the Prime Minister’s anger at the conception of this monster, was to say: “It didn’t have to be invented!” In time he came to the attention of Lord Beaverbrook, the newspaper baron, who tried to win Low to his own newspaper, the Evening Standard. Once more this caricaturist, always a political radical and a law unto himself, held off for three years, until his demands for absolute independence from any constraints were met, before he joined that newspaper in 1927, at a salary of 7000 pounds a year.

In later years Low was earning a salary in the region of five figures and in time, after his cartoons had been syndicated to some 220 newspapers worldwide and his reputation had achieved international acclaim, his earnings became stratospheric for the time. Low remained for some 22 years with Beaverbrook’s London Evening Standard. During this time of dogged independence in the face of opposition, his cartoons often included attacks on Beaverbrook himself, whom he once depicted as a witch on a broomstick, preaching “politics for children’s minds”. On another occasion he portrayed the press baron about to throw a giant spanner into the works of the British war machine. Beaverbrook’s response to the conundrum of why he did not sack his cartoonist, was to say: “I have, often, but he won’t go”. However, in truth, Beaverbrook was only too aware that the very keystone of Low’s success, was his liberty to attack as he pleased, whatever he deemed political crassness and downright evil.

There were times when his satire was quite openly at odds with Beaverbrook’s editorials; his cartoons foretelling the rise of fascism, often even printed on the same page as the paper’s conservative editorials. In one depiction, the character of Colonel Blimp, one of Low’s inventions from 1934, is seen, Evening Standard in hand, remarking: “Gad Sir, Lord Beaverbrook says we ought to save the Empire, even if we strangle her in the attempt”. As an internationally celebrated cartoonist, and relentless critic, his mordant depictions of characters like Mussolini, Franco and Hitler were widely seen, including in Italy and Germany. In particular, Low's rendering of Hitler's defining forelock and toothbrush moustache made a profound impact and in time the cartoons were banned in both countries and Low put onto Hitler’s Gestapo blacklist - for the Reich's planned occupation of Britain. His response to Beaverbrook’s order to underplay Mussolini’s attack on Abyssinia, was to depict three monkeys in the likeness of his boss with the caption: “See no Abyssinia, Hear no Abyssinia, Speak no Abyssinia”.

In May 1935, a cartoon ridiculing Mussolini's ambitions in Abyssinia led to a ban on the Evening Standard and Manchester Guardian in Italy. Winston Churchill famously quipped about Low, after he himself was the butt of one of Low's cartoons (despite their common singular admonishments against the twin evils of appeasement and proposed disarmament ): "You can’t bridle the wild ass of the desert, still less prohibit its natural heehaw”. He also called him “a green-eyed young Antipodean radical” and tried to ban a film based on the character Colonel Blimp! Not all victims were so unwilling, however, as to excommunicate Low. J.H. Thomas, the Socialist leader, portrayed by Low as “Rt. Hon. Dress Suit”, remained on friendly terms, as did the British Home Secretary of the mid-1920’s Joynson-Hicks, who sent Christmas gifts of cigars each year, “from your most loyal victim”. Beaverbrook himself was probably the most long-suffering, though of course had most to gain from his forbearance.

Most famous of the Low inventions were the TUC Carthorse, the Coalition Ass, Musso the Pup and Colonel Blimp, whose character has passed into the English language as the epitome of bumbling, muddle-headed conservatism: a plump bald-headed figure with a walrus moustache, decked out in a plethora of decorations from ancient wars, spouting platitudinous and preposterous commentary on the politics of the day, such as: “Gad Sir, Churchill made an irrevocable decision to be guided by circumstances with a firm hand”. Low insisted that his Blimp was genuine and that he had overheard him in a Turkish bath, dressed in the altogether, pronouncing that what Japan did was no concern of Britain’s! Both Low and the Evening Standard were publicly rebuked by Stanley Baldwin and his successor Neville Chamberlain, for publishing denunciations of the Nazi dictators and their appeasers in the English political arena of the 1930’s. Low’s defence was to say: “ I see most of the leaders of the world as little men. Rather ridiculous men at times, trying to grapple with causes and movements that are too big for them. …..

I try to show them to the world as little men. And when I think they deserve it, I kick them in the pants.” While the political analysts of the day were busy portraying Hitler as some enigmatic force to be reckoned with, Low was taking him at his word, viewing him as essentially simple-minded and "uncomplicated by pity", and often drawing prescient depictions of events to come. His most famous war-time drawing, described by Low as "the bitterest cartoon of (his) life", showed Hitler and Stalin viewing each other over the corpse of Poland in 1939. The caption has Hitler addressing Stalin: "The scum of the Earth I believe?" and a smirking Stalin replying: "The bloody assassin of the workers, I presume?".

Astonishingly, despite the fact that from 1923, with his early cartoons criticising the Versailles Treaty and the impossibe reparations imposed on the young German republic and warning of the need to support the Weimar government, and that he would ultimately be most famous for his unremittingly vociferous forewarnings of the ambitions of the Fuhrer, when asked to gift a few of his original works in the 1930's to Hitler, who professed interest in cartoons, Low allowed them to be despatched, "from one artist to another!" In the early 1930's Low had immersed himself in the study of the comparative political ideologies of communism, fascism and Nazism. He was also to describe himself as the small boy who asked "why?", when he heard "God Save the King"! From 1932, Low visited Russia, later travelling extensively in Europe, as well as North and South America, (his sister Dorothea was living in Bogota). His work during the war years was broadened by that terrible period and his patriotism was unquestionable. He regularly broadcast on the BBC Pacific Service and to the Far East during that time.

In his long career, Low drew for the New Statesman in the 1920’s and 30’s, two famous series of pencilled caricatures of politicians and literary figures, as well as for the Guardian and Daily Herald, in addition to what was undoubtedly his major output, for the Evening Standard. His drawings filled half a tabloid page, to dramatic effect. It is said that he was influenced more by Continental artists such as Daumier and Philipon, than English political cartoonists; dropping the pen for a flowing brush (made from his own hair!) and brandishing it with the ease of a Chinese master, albeit over the top of a worked and re-worked pencil sketch. Following the war’s end in 1945, he left the Beaverbrook empire and in 1950 joined first the Labour Daily Herald and later in 1952, the Manchester Guardian, where he remained for the rest of his life. He also contributed to Picture Post, Punch, Illustrated and Nash’s Magazine, amongst others.

From 1908, at just 17 years of age, with Low’s Annual, and throughout his long career, many publications were issued, most famous of which were probably Low’s Political Parade in 1936, Europe at War, Low’s War Cartoons, and the World at War in 1941, and Years of Wrath 1946. He continued with Low’s Cartoon History 1945-53, Low Visibility in 1953 and The Fearful Fifties in 1960. He received two honorary doctorates in his lifetime and was finally knighted in 1962 at the age of 71, having declined this honour when it was first proposed in the 1930's. His prodigious output continued to the end of his life in September, 1963. In all, Low produced over 14,000 cartoons, syndicated worldwide to newspapers and magazines. Many of these are now collectors’ items. Low's unequivocal voice and stance were surely gifts to the times in which he lived.

No-one comes close in our own times to possessing the authority, insight or courage to compel the world's leaders, none of whom can any longer be called statesmen, to hold themselves accountable for the atrocities, perversions of truth and hubris which have for decades daily insulted the memory of those millions who gave their lives for the tenuous peace of our modern world. A fan letter received by Low states 'A Jewish refugee from Vienna, a very old man, personally unknown to you, cannot resist the impulse to tell you how much he admires your glorious art and your inexorable, unfailing critisism'. The letter is signed "Sigmund Freud". David Low's Legacy and Sigmund Freud By Anil Gokhale 07 August, 2013 Countercurrents.org A Jewish refugee from Vienna, a very old man personally unknown to you, cannot resist the impulse to tell you how much he admires your glorious art and your inexorable, unfailing criticism.-SIGMUND FREUD. (Letter to Sir David Low) ï¿½Art does not reside in the materials nor the subject-matter. It resides in the artistï¿½.

ï¿½I was an artist who drew politics, not a politician who drew pictures. Public affairs were the raw material for my drawing and I had no wish to 'get on' in politics. Although I sought famous people for professional reasonsï¿½, (Sir David Low- Autobiography) My curiosity of in what way Sir David Low defines as relationship between ï¿½Artist and his Art' led me to write up this expository write up. I can begin by quoting highlights from Sir David Low's Autobiography. ï¿½I was seventeen and growing up. As things were then in New Zealand there was an economic inevitability about my gravitation towards political cartooning. Illustrating jokes would never keep me. Caricaturing personalities offered very limited prospects. But here was a regular job at which, with freelancing additions, I could make a living. Up till then I had been interested mainly in the drawing, and not in drawing my opinions. Now I had to take a closer interest in public affairs.

I started as the obedient hireling, but after a time, when I got into the swing of it, naturally my own political inclinations began to creep into the cartoons , proving once again that matter and manner of artistic expression are one , and irony and sarcasm are difficult to harnessï¿½.  David Low's cartoonish demonstrate his opinions, inclinations and responses to the rise of European Dictators and the rapid passage to Second World War and which proved to be defining moments in shaping the popular opinions and inspiring resistance to dictatorships in political and social life. He inherited the legacy of Thomas Nast, the founder of American political cartoonist, who fought for abolition of slavery, racial discrimination, white supremacy, Nationalism and anti- immigration violence. David Low formed the continuity with ï¿½Anti War', anti imperialist radical cartoonist Robert Minor but avoided Robert Minor's mistake of surrendering his Art to politics! He continued to be part of liberal, democratic tradition in usage of the power of ï¿½political cartoon'. He proactively developed insights into the future course of events which Hitler led the world to most destructive Global war.

He targeted the dictators including Adolf Hitler and his counter parts in Italy , Russia and Spain through his innovative cartoon campaigns. He drove Hitler to extreme irritation and wilderness. As a brilliant ï¿½Political' cartoonist strategist he could educate the masses against the dangers of ï¿½Appeasements' policies and innovatively upheld the ï¿½liberal and popular democracy'. My interest in Sir David Low is confined to his opinions, his Artistic expression and the relevance they have today. David Low's Aims- Innovative ï¿½Nuisance dedicated to Sanity' It is not that Cartoonish as an Art flourished in one quarter. There is another quarter which enslaved this Art form ï¿½ which formed a distinct repressive tradition- Fascist. This tradition has understood, not the creative and revolutionary aspects of this Art Form but, usage of this subversive Art as a tool of propaganda in promoting ï¿½prejudice' and fantasy and using the intensity expressed through Cartoon for whacking the opponents, the ï¿½Anti national enemies ï¿½! The peculiar ground, ï¿½prejudice' on which their Art Form is built can be illustrated by Joseph Goebbels' quote.

ï¿½It was often easier to express NAZI ideas in a political cartoon than with the written word. A cartoon would express concepts in a quickly understood manner that was impossible to attain in an articleï¿½- From- ï¿½Goebbels and Der Angriff' (The paper founded by Joseph Goebbels in 1926) Sir David Low harnessed his Art as a critique of the popular ï¿½prejudices' and those of the political leadership of the British establishment. His cartoon character, Colonel Blimp made the highest impact in shaping the ï¿½opinion'. Blimp represented a ï¿½fascistoid' stereotype character and everything Sir David Low disliked in British politics. David Low says, "Blimp was no enthusiast for democracy. He was impatient with the common people and their complaints. His remedy to social unrest was less education, so that people could not read about slumps. An extreme isolationist, disliking foreigners (which included Jews, Irish, Scots, Welsh, and people from the Colonies and Dominions); a man of violence, approving warï¿½. Sir David Low is described as the greatest cartoonist of all times.

ï¿½Political cartoon gallery' says, ï¿½Low created many memorable characters, including the Two-headed Ass, the TUC carthorse, and Colonel Blimp. Describing himself as ï¿½a nuisance dedicated to sanity' Low was a hugely influential cartoonist and caricaturist, producing over 14,000 drawings during the course of his 50 year careerï¿½. Researcher and Founder of the Political Cartoon Gallery from Bloomsbury Dr. Timothy Benson, states, ï¿½Sir David Low (1891-1963) was probably the most celebrated political cartoonist of the last century. He is best remembered today for the way he mercilessly ridiculed in a humorous vein the dictators, Hitler and Mussolini during the 1930s. Despite several attempts to censor him, Low fought an almost personal war against Hitler and the Nazis which was played out for all to see in the pages of the Evening Standard. Michael Foot, who was Acting Editor on the Evening Standard from 1938, felt that Low's attacks on Hitler met with considerable success.

'Low contributed more than any other single figure and as a result changed the atmosphere in the way people saw Hitler. Other cartoonists did not have such a long-standing record.ï¿½ Dr. Timothy who profusely admired David Low's Cartoon Campaigns and analyzes Sir David Low's propelling motives and desires. ï¿½Low's humanitarian instincts and Liberal upbringing gave him a strong determination to oppose Hitler and everything he stood for. It would be Low's depiction of Hitler, above all others, that most got under the Fuhrer's skin. Consequently, the Nazis even tried, in 1937, to put pressure on the British Government to restrain Low from satirizing Hitler in his cartoons. This only bolstered Low's reputation as an independent operator at the Evening Standard, especially when it was well-known that he worked for a proprietor such as Lord Beaverbrook, who was a consistent and staunch supporter of Chamberlain's ï¿½Appeasement policy'. David Low was not the stooge or hireling of the ï¿½ruling class' and ignored ï¿½the warning and continued to deride the Nazi regime.

ï¿½Evening Standards felt that Low's concentration on Hitler had become too frequent and may appear to readership of the Evening Standard as a vendetta against the German Dictatorï¿½. In November 1936, the editor, Percy Cudlipp, (with Beaverbrook's sanctions) refused to publish 'THE JAW IS THE JAW OF MUSSO, BUTï¿½ and subjected' cartoon campaigns against ï¿½dictators' to censorship of ï¿½responsibilities' under ï¿½The present international situation'. David Low did not buckle under the ï¿½censorship' and ï¿½repression'. In his brilliant Article Dr. Timothy Benson narrates the storey. ï¿½The Nazi hierarchy seemed to have been particularly incensed by Low's cartoon strip 'Hit and Muss', which had been appearing weekly in his full page 'Topical Budget' from October 1937' and exercised intense, pressure on German political establishment to compel Sir David Low to shelve his campaign. Before out break out of War with Germany , the appeasement of German Dictator was still the order of the day.

Struggling to resist, wriggle out from this ï¿½undeclared' censorship, undeterred by the ban on his cartoons in Italy , Spain and Germany , he continued his cartoon campaign. He was an innovative solution finder and without compromise ultimately, he discovered the highly innovative idea of creating a composite dictator named ï¿½Muzzler', (controlling, repressing, preventing from expressing) by fusing well-known features of both dictators (Mussolini and Hitler) ï¿½without being identifiable as either'. It made its appearance on pages of Evening Standard on 1st January 1938 . As the Article points out the name was certainly intended ï¿½as a pun to show how the authorities had unsuccessfully attempted to muzzle the cartoonistï¿½. However curiosity will lead us to look beyond ï¿½Muzzler as an artistic expression and search for genesis of it as a form arising out of compression of several thought processes or a ï¿½composite figure', a structure as a form of expression employed to disclose and mask their identity at the same time in order to hoodwink the muzzling repressive mental agencies.

I will explore this point explaining the affinity between Sir David Low and Sigmund Freud in next section. Cartoons, Dream condensation & Art of Interpretation! Sir David Low's interest in observing the objects on the move was prolific and that sprung from his interest in drawing ï¿½Comic Strips'. (1903) Eger to make ï¿½representation of life' in the drawings David Low felt the need to study the objects on the move. ï¿½What I needed was a series of busts of Homer sitting in a row, each wearing a different expression, so that I could study the characteristic disturbance of features in the acts of laughing, crying, sneezing, etc. I needed a real life class with a moving model, so that I could closely observe just what happens when one walks, and just what one can and cannot do with arms and legs ; a class for drawing from memory at which I could crystallize my impressions; a class for the analysis of characterï¿½- David Low. In these remarks we see David Low, not only as a ï¿½cinematographer' and character-logist and but also an Art Interpreter and a researcher.

He intended to make alive emotional and physical movements of the objects in a cartoon which are then frozen into sculptures ! Here we are reminded of interpretation of aesthetical works by Sigmund Freud, Moses of Michelangelo in which he discovers all possible emotional, psychological and physical movements frozen into the sculpture. Though both of them approached the ï¿½Object' from opposite directions, both of them became the interpreters. Both researched into the gestural and ï¿½automatist' qualities the caricature, cartoon, sculpture and dream images which invoke and communicate to audience or viewers the ï¿½unconscious associations'. Hence of both of them aimed at uncovering the mechanisms of crystallized images and their dissemination by ï¿½large audience'. Sir David Low had learnt long back techniques to anticipate responses to his cartooning by ï¿½intolerant' dictators and censoring agencies! Storey of his encounters with dictators and repression goes back to his struggle against similar attempted muzzling and repression by the then Australian Prime Minister Mr. Hughes, who formed the anti ï¿½Labor' ï¿½National Government in 1911.

David Low's anti- war cartoons published in ï¿½Bulletin' targeted the ï¿½ dominating Personality' , DP, through a series of cartoons. David Low says, ï¿½The press had began to wilt under censorship pressureï¿½ from the PM Mr. Billy Hughes. PM's personal threats and instructions to muzzle the cartoon campaign have been vividly narrated by him. ï¿½My cartoons reflected this view week by week by featuring Billy carrying a penny balloon inscribed CD.P.5 for Dominating Personality ï¿½. David Low's ï¿½Muzzler' has its origins in his cartoon DP . David Low makes an interesting comment on this incident. ï¿½I had a charmed life with Censors until one day Billy's vanity explodedï¿½. Fortunately Editor of Bulletin supported David Low. ï¿½Muzzler' demonstrates that Sir David Low had become wiser and learnt something extraordinary from his experience on ï¿½DP'. There are reasons to believe that Sir David Low was a keen observer of his own dreams. Given the fact that David Low suffered from periodic insomnia and struggled a lot for a solution, in this context, his revelation becomes important.

ï¿½The Lows were always night birds. Whatever time I got up, I was never properly awakeï¿½. This gives clues to origins of his great Cartoon Images. The Dream images became closest ally and assistant of this great creative Artist, who relied upon, ï¿½unconscious' springs of thoughts, images, which when released busted asunder the yoke of psychic repression during sleep with full force. Artist's other ally, was of course was the trained ego, critical faculties, which translated these stream of condensed images ï¿½otherwise inaccessible' to waking consciousness' into Works of Art! Sigmund Freud notices how dream utilizes the relation of similarity, metaphor, or the `just-as.` Freud calls this the primary foundations of dream construction. It is assisted by the mechanism of condensation (see pp. 383ff) in two ways: [1] through identification with singular persons--i.e., in terms of names, physical characteristics, gestures, understanding; and [2 ] composition--of both things and persons--where two separate objects are condensed together. (432) In his Dream Book, Sigmund Freud calls it ï¿½composite figure.

Because either the things or the persons are unified they become accessible to the dream contents without the censor interfering. Thus, it may be said that condensation satisfies the claims of the dream censor. Freud then refers to composite structures. These structures are represented [1] one thing which accompanies the knowledge that specific attributes of the dream thought belong to another dream thought. [2] Or through the combination of features of the two dream thoughts to form a new image. Freud notes, that is the construction is too large, the dream is content to represent one part distinctly and the other vaguely. Again, In 1916, in ï¿½Wit and its relation to Unconscious' Sigmund Freud discusses the intent and function of caricature in expressing ï¿½ Rebellion Against Authority Through Wit' . ï¿½ The prevention of abuse or insulting retorts through outer circumstances is so often the case that tendency-wit is used with special preference as a weapon of attack or criticism of superiors who claim to be an authority. Wit then serves as a resistance against such authority and as an escape from its pressure.

In this factor, too, lies the charm of caricature, at which we laugh even if it is badly done simply because we consider its resistance to authority a great meritï¿½. ï¿½Muzzler' is just one illustration. We find innumerable cartoons from David low stamped like condensed images . For illustration, 3 rd July 1934 cartoon with caption reading- ï¿½ They salute with both hands, now !ï¿½ ) (Cartoon Item No. 2085- The British cartoon Achieves). This David Low cartoon shows Hitler holding the smoking gun and Goering (shown as Thor, the God of War- derived from mythology) Cartoon Interpreters have exactly identified the significance of ï¿½glowering at - not the traditional Nazi salute - but terrified SA men with their hands up . Some SA men already lie dead on the ground. Goebbels is shown as Hitler's poodleï¿½. Low portrays Hitler as a brazen murderer keeping his men in check by naked fear. More importantly such cartoons perused the historical truth and the psychical essence of the events powerfully and brilliantly.

Kind of emotional, psychological impact the cartoon makes on the viewers in empathetically evoking the human pain, terror and pathos from the depths of their psyche is incomparable. The effects have become possible because of condensation of several images of historical events have been casted into a single humorous cartoon image. David Low's cartoons after cartoons exhibit the same quality with consistency and has become the backbone of his greatness and uniqueness. Hence Sigmund Freud calls these qualities as ï¿½inexorable unfailing criticism'. Naturally Freud was elated with empathy, to witness proof of reflections of his own discovery and discoveries in David Low's Art of cartooning, understanding of mechanisms of ï¿½dream work'. Condensation and creation of composite images is hallmark of tricks played by ï¿½dream work'. I guess Sigmund Freud must have been delighted to see such outstanding works of Art. Sigmund Freud had discovered and exhaustively discussed the techniques adopted by dreams in representing multiplicity of ï¿½unconscious' and ï¿½pre conscious' thought processes through construction of collective and composite images . He identifies them as ï¿½the principal methods of dream-condensationï¿½.

Both these greats discovered them independently, though Freud was the first to put it into psychoanalytic theory. Sigmund Freud's Victorian aesthetical tastes were in congruence with those of Sir David Low. There are innumerable cartoons from these creative Artists which can be identified as products of such condensations of several strands of thought processes. Cartoons of this type have been subjected to multiple brilliant interpretations. Cartoon remains the only Art Form capable of ï¿½speaking' the buried truth. It reveals the truth of Chinese Proverb, ï¿½A picture is worth of thousand words'. In tiniest and compact form evokes humor, comic and human pathos. Hence Sigmund Freud's appreciated this ï¿½glorious Art' which launches criticism by exaggerating the absurdities, creates ï¿½real' in the form of phantasm by combining and juxtaposing the irreconcilable (at times) opposites and reaches out to viewers innermost core of psychic being.. 'That depends on the aim of the prejudice.' David Low.

During his official visit to Soviet Union in 1929, David Low had an interesting conversation with the Polish born talented, one time, Russian Revolutionary Karl Radek, (the son of Jewish parents, born in Luxemburg 1885. He capitulated to Stalin in 1927 but met with the same fate as the great Revolutionary Leon Trotsky, assassination at the hands of Stalinist in 1939). Karl Radek was one brilliant propagandist of the Bolsheviks from first Russian revolution of 1905. Karl Radek was then the Press chief and supreme boss of Soviet propaganda. ï¿½We talked of propaganda, the techniques of persuasion, emphasis and diminution, the comparative effectiveness of statement and parable, soothing expressions and the exciting expression, shock or tickle in the use of words and images. It came to this: it all depends upon the receptivity of the audience. You have to stay within its range of pick-up; otherwise you are talking to yourself. 'Now, that's where pictures have an advantage, said he. ï¿½Not really,' I said, 'Much the same limitations.

All right if you stick to trite simplicity and traditional symbolic forms. But if you want to extend and bring your picture-language up to date, it's an educational job of labeling and impressing new association's reiteration and repetition.' ï¿½I always look at the cartoons in a newspaper first, he said. 'They tell me how things are. Your medium is no good for plain statement, but it is ideal for creating prejudice. 'Sounds immoral,' said I, knowing better. ï¿½Oh, no,' he said. 'That depends on the aim of the prejudice.'. 'Supposing your aim is to weaken prejudice and provoke people to use their own brains?'. Someone spirited him away and our Pleasant talk ended in the air. The conversation speaks volumes about the cartoon and caricature as a form of Art and the potentials it carries to work as double edged sword in either provoking people to ï¿½think' or to create prejudice. Cartoonists create ï¿½stereotypes' characters to achieve their goals and define their targets, as vehicle of mass communication and for provoking viewers. .

Sir David Low created the character ï¿½Colonel Blimp', a character to project an imaginative, stereotype (Lord Blimp, Bishop Blimp, Dr. Blimp, Mr. Blimp etc.) to reflect and represent the virtues and prejudices of the viewers' in 1930's Europe. A thought provoking stereotype to educate the people and weaken the prejudice ! Soon Colonel Blimp became the ï¿½public property' talked about everywhere for years together! On the other hand we have in India number of Cartoonists who have attempted to create their stereotype! Most of the cartoonists could not avoid temptation of drawing Muslim community, en lot, over years. Community has been stereotyped and symbolically represented through cartoons. It is given the ï¿½look' of a classical ï¿½butcher, killer of ï¿½cows and human beings all alike'. The man and his symbolic attire, wearing a ï¿½Lungi'. Other prominent features of the Muslim, like wearing the ï¿½skull cap', dirty, unshaven, starkly half naked, figure with protruding belly and ruthless facial expression.

This is the devised Propped up, imagery of Muslim to target the Hindu psyche and has been played very well, in different situations and as response to minor and major events with some variations to promote ï¿½prejudice' and fearfulï¿½ castration complex' Such cartoons have become the plank for bashing the Muslim community and generate hatred. Sch underground campaign against Muslims Community and ï¿½Islam' in 1960's, 1990s and subsequently provided opportunity for emergence as rescuer and messiah of Hindutwa and target the ï¿½collaborators' of ï¿½anti nationals' as dirty, uncultured and hateful. Patriotism was ruse, superb outward expression while prejudices were on the boil at the bottom promoting violence. Sir David Low stereotyped Colonel Blimp to represent sum total of popular prejudices to ï¿½weaken' them and provoke people to think, Stereotyping of Muslim was to strengthen the popular prejudices and stop people to ï¿½think'.

It gives us insights into what Sir David Low meant by, when he says , 'That depends on the aim of the prejudice.' Archaic Symbolic Violence and stereotyping in Cartoonish. Cartoon as Art form comprehends and integrates several art forms such as Drawings and paintings on one hand and literature on the other hand because of its ability to express the ï¿½un spoken- pictorial- visual and the written word' in symbolic, distorted and condensed form . Like dreams, it uses distortion displacement, condensation, dramatization, and secondary elaboration as mechanisms for representation of individuals, historical circumstaces and political events. However it has all the possibilities to pierce into the region called political imagery but differs from dreams due to its great potentials to be intelligible and real which is achieved by Artist through mental work of expression . It carries within it the virtues of interpretation to ï¿½unmask' and ï¿½degrade' and thus to challenge the ï¿½in tolerance' of self proclaimed authority. .

Characteristics of Fascist Political Cartoonist work differs from the work of ï¿½free thinker' because their cartoonish shows no or limited capacity to work on ï¿½condensation of thought processes' at the disposal of Artist' and instead takes easy recourse to obsessive symbolism. Hence it enslaves this Art form and subjugates it to expression of ï¿½prejudice' which s expressed symbolically. Two important aspects of ï¿½dream work' which it could utilize and are at its disposal are ï¿½distortion' (which was life of caricatures), ï¿½displacement' and symbolic representation in directing the energies stored in imagery on to the ï¿½Other'. These characteristics of unconscious expression achieves the delivery of personal anger, hatred, fear or terror and archaic violence on to the viewers effectively. Fascist and Nazi cartooning thrives on defending its violence as ï¿½counter violence' against stereotyped community. Opponents; Jews and Marxists as evils and are often symbolically portrayed as venomous-poisonous ï¿½serpents', snakes or demons.

The Pamphlet, ï¿½Killing the Jews in Nazi Propaganda' by Randall Bytwerk's ï¿½Nazi Symbolic Violence' reproduces cartoon captioned ï¿½Don't let it Go' (1935) poisonous snake in the stubborn and quelling powerful grip of German hand prompting the viewers not to let it go, not allow the serpent to escape and ensure that it strangled to death and killed to liberate German people from the misery imposed by Jews and Marxists. Indian Fascist cartoonists also have taken great pride in portraying Child Lord Krishna Killing the Demon, the deadly Poisonous Cobra serpent ï¿½Kalia' residing in river Yamuna to quell the poisonous opponents and Muslims. Killing the ï¿½poisonous snake' provides justification of violence as ï¿½counter violence' in retaliation because it is poisonous! Affectivity of snake symbol lies in its ability to utilize the unconscious, archaic ï¿½dread of the snake' to awaken and foster hysteria and obsessive neurosis of the viewers and create hysteric groups.

Any interpreter will understand that snake is disguised representation of ï¿½male organ' and invokes castration complex articulated as neurotic and hysterical symptoms. Another means at the disposal of Fascist cartoonists is targeting the enemy community by it's symbolic stereotyping as oppressor! 1924 Poster-Cartoon shows the Stereotyped bald headed fat Jew, with protruding tummy and wearing pompous suit riding on the shoulders of stout German. Jew is holding fast in left hand the shackles fastened in the mouth of the enslaved German and is being driven with the whip in the right hand. The poster is titled ï¿½Down with Financial Enslavement! Vote National Socialist! ï¿½ (1924). Cartoons of these types were repeated in Joseph Goebbels's Berlin weekly ï¿½Der Angriff'. Political Cartoonist in India also towed the same stereotyped symbolism and have fanatically propagated the same message. We come across few typical cartoons showing Muslim community symbolized by shabby-look, wearing a skull cap and protruding belly and this man (Muslim), falling over a frail Hindu symbolizing "the burden of increasing Muslim population on Hindus in India ï¿½.

Promoting medieval legends for the justification of ï¿½counter violence' or instigation for it is significant theme of these Indian or other cartoonists. Jews, Muslims and labor leaders shown as ï¿½stone aged' or frightening demon holding thorny weapon with bones of Hindus or opponents scattered around, suggesting as being guilty of mass murders and slaughters. For projecting widespread Jewish violence against Germans, Medieval legends of ritual murder promoting rumors were used to claim that Jews frequently murdered Christians to secure their blood for religious purposes. Such instigative cartoons promote hysteric hatred against ï¿½others'. In contrast, we can see Sir David Low's outstanding popular cartoon ï¿½RENDEZOUS' (Evening Standard, 20 th Sept. 1939, Item LSE 2692, ), also shows violence to provoke us to think. The cartoon is drawn on the background of joint invasion of Poland by Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin, greeting each other with pride, at the site of generic dead body of the human race (Or polish people) with pleasure and pride, ï¿½scum of the earth' and ï¿½bloody assassin of workers' both killers showing smug over the killing.

The cartoon provokes us to empathize with the generic body. Theese cartoons define the conflict of two confronting trends within cartoonish world of Art. Master Stroke for all Ages History will recognize Sir David Low, not only as Humanitarian Humorist and cartoonist with extra ordinary wit but more importantly he was essentially an ï¿½anti war' activist! Sir David Low\Cornell Blimp' aimed at disrupting and des-respected popular beliefs since they were ï¿½all too often popular prejudices and were nearly always founded upon undue respect or reverence for someone or something . The very essence of satire was disrespect and irreverenceï¿½. He had closely observed the disasters during the world war I and Colonel Blimp ï¿½made me a sturdy democrat, considerate of the condition of the common people; for more education; for international co-operation; holding war, per se, as bad; for the League of Nations and united efforts to build a sane international system; for economic reorganization of world resources to that end; for piping down national armsï¿½. He used all his powers as humorist against ï¿½war-mongers' and against the dictators.

His Anti War poster, ï¿½Progress of Man 1935 AD' is stinging critique of Fascism, Nationalism- Patriotism' and depicts the ï¿½regression of man' to dark ages of cannibalism'. The conversation between the pig and the naked ï¿½cylindrical mouthed gas masked' man, resembling pig, bending forward to become four legged animal, visually depicting his ancestral animal origins. Pig says, ï¿½they kill me to eat, but you poor sap, they kill you for your own goodï¿½. The comments were intended to provoke the blind followers of Nazi ideology to think. ï¿½. ( of man1935 ad) or (View cartoon item: LSE2191). It was a message to the masses to wake up and understand the ï¿½mass psychology of fascismï¿½ and awaken the blinded poor mass following of the fascists dictators from their slumber to realize their own status as the ï¿½four legged masked animal-man'. It depicts their prejudices, regression and blindness.

This painful but educative snub to ï¿½war mongers' has become the symbolic representation and a master stroke of all ages. Origins, Aims, Objectives and historicity in Sir David Low's Art of Cartoonish David Low versatility as cartoonish is embedded in ï¿½Aims and Objectives' of his Art of cartoonish. He integrated three founding aims and elements of this Art. As comics, he delivered his excellent humorous observations addressed to common man. As a social cartoonist, he grasped fundamental inexorable demands on life of common man, his problems, his hardships and inhuman conditions of his life and hence always aimed for humane ï¿½objectivity'. Thirdly, as a rebellion , against social-political orthodoxy, repression and authoritarianism he had ï¿½political' aim, to communicate partisan message to viewers. It was to ï¿½provoke' them to think, draw, attract them to his views and designed to influence them to respond to specific political events or circumstances in a manner the Cartoonist sees and interprets. Hence his aims were greater than those of journalists or writer and came close to those of a critical impartial historian, to objectively analyze and interpret.

David Low's aim of cartooning was aimed at criticism and criticism. As an Artist he used humor and comics as the means and medium of Interpretation to activate viewers' responses. David Low's experience made him into a complete ï¿½character-logistic' and sharply differentiated him-self from cartoonists whose aim could be downright malicious. An Artist by birth, ï¿½psychologist' by habit and historian made by penetrative restless enthusiasm and hard work, he made his mark when he says, ï¿½those with only the vulgar conception of caricature as aimless distortion of physical shortcomings could have had no inkling of my own view of it. How could I have explained my eagerness to find its art, my zest to try to capture and reduce to visual terms that most elusive of all qualities, individuality ?ï¿½. He adds up, ï¿½A good piece of caricature represents not only what the artist sees but what he knows about what he drawsï¿½. Exploring the techniques of creating character, David Low says, ï¿½I would try a set of portraits.

None of that clever superficial stuff ï¿½in a few brilliant lines.' None of that easy exaggeration of physical peculiarities merely, 1 would aim at carrying each subject a stage or two further towards fuller and more rounded representation. This time I would go to infinite trouble. No time limit deep observation, minute perception, Analysis and synthesis of character ï¿½. These lines can come from a brilliant ï¿½psychologist' and complete Artist only. He says, ï¿½I was aware that my own efforts had been, to say the worst, catch-as-catch-can, to say the best, unorthodox, in that my search for knowledge had usually begun at the apex and worked back to the base, from effect to cause, from current affairs to historical origins, instead of the other way round ï¿½. He explored the circumstances and events in depths to provide full representation to the Characters. He used both the techniques of disguising and unmasking the characters, without compromising on criticism and ridiculing. David Low hints at ï¿½disguising' techniques used in Greek Comedy in which ï¿½the actors wearing masks are turned into caricatures of living politicians and other nuisances.

That was to be my departmentï¿½. In Australia Sir David Low's techniques were influenced and shaped by Will Dyson and Norman Lindsay. Dyson's cartoons used to represent War and Destruction by symbols of Devil, used to represent Finance Capital and Power by ï¿½Fat' symbol popular amongst working class and image of greed by large figure with paunch, top hat, spats and a cigar. This political philosophical influence never left David Low nor he was lured by any temptation to cross the boundaries of Art to peruse political ambitions. India had produced ï¿½Political Cartoonists' who drew ï¿½KAMAJIS' and ï¿½BAWAJIS' to represent ï¿½common man' at the beginning of their careers, claimed to have been mentored by Sir David Low but in Sir David Low's words all of them ended up by becoming ï¿½politicians' who drew pictures'. Blinded by personal political ambitions they lost sight of Sir David Low's heritage, his humanitarian, psychological, philosophical and his Artistic aims and objectives.

Opposed to the historical methodology' of Sir David Low , they saw all ï¿½Current affairs' through the prism of prejudices, projected ï¿½medieval symbols' to unveil their own autocratic ambitions and programs, lost ï¿½objectivity' and inquisitiveness to find the historical origins of events, played into the hands of blind historical forces of reaction and shook hands not with Sir David Low but his ï¿½Cornel Blimp'. Sir David Low was a product of a tradition of critical Art which he inherited and never lost sight of bright revolutionary history which brought him the fame as critical Artist. In modern times, Leonardo da Vinci (1452 -1519) and his artistic explorations of "the ideal type of deformity' the grotesque truly discovered it as form of criticism or an alternate view . But its aims as Art really developed in the midst of industrial and socio-political revolution in Europe . French Revolution from 1789 to 1793, which brought down the rule of clergy and nobility, led to destruction of Bastille. These events propelled flourishing of this art form after the relaxation of press censorship. Ryan P.

O'Donnell in his review of Michael Melot's ï¿½ Caricature and the Revolutionï¿½, observes that caricature has far reaching role of deconstructing ï¿½the political hierarchy polemically by means of an aesthetic medium for means of dissemination by a mass audience. As a destructive and reconstructive medium, the caricature serves as an ideal form as an instigator of social change within a period of revolutionï¿½. The Art was exported or spread to England and with great commitment Sir David Low truthfully carried forward innovations in this critical, glorious Art of Cartoonish in service of ï¿½common man'. Karl Marx, admirer of this Art, comments on repetition of History of 1789-93 in 1848-51 French Revolutionary events as tragedy and farce. He treats it as parody, Nephew (Louis Bonaparte) imitating the role of his Uncle when he says, ï¿½And the sam e caricature occurs in the circumstances attending the second edition of the Eighteenth Brumaire !ï¿½ Sigmund Freud's works on Dreams & Jokes further explores the psychic origins of this Art- caricature.

The analogy between the techniques of jokes and the dream work, both ï¿½share the cognitive mechanisms of condensations, displacement and indirect representation' (Ryan P. O'Donnell). He reiterates Freudian definition of ï¿½the jokeï¿½ which ï¿½contributes highly to the caricature's function , due to its strongly gestural and automatist qualities, the caricature communicates more immediately to audiences through a regressive function that invokes unconscious associations . It is a medium whose primary goal is dissemination by a large audience. French revolution made the epochal impact on Europe and the world and the aesthetical mediumï¿½. It was quite natural that in Sir David Low's Cartoonish, Sigmund Freud discovered the same objectives and mechanisms of ï¿½Joke Work'. Here we discover the radical heritage of Sir David Low's cartoonish in depth psychology! Legacy of Sir David Low- who aroused sense of Humor and not Sense of Horror It is surprising that such vast populous country like India, despite producing innumerable cartoonists claiming to have been inspired by Sir David Low, could not produce even a single known Cartoonist (exception R. K.

Laxman?) who could claim inheritance of the revolutionary or democratic critical tradition which Sir David Low inherited from his predecessors. India 's last Fifty years of History has been severely affected by legacy of cartoonists who have targeted Literature and culture, have whacked minority Community through cartoon campaigns. There are cartoonists who misrepresented and subverted Sir David Low's glorious critical Art. It is matter of great concern to day that when once again rightwing Fascist groups and parties are clamoring and surging ahead for seizure of political power in years to come. Are the political cartoonists in India attempting to understand Sir David Low message of protection of human values and his fight against socio-political ï¿½prejudice'? Sir David Low's Cornel Blimp fought against worst prejudices, intolerance, regional-linguistic chauvinism, corruption of values, authoritarianism and bigotry. He understood ï¿½prejudice' as the reified mechanism which facilitates easy ascendance of Fascism. When Lord Moseley led ï¿½Black Shirts' instigated burning of anti-fascist Exhibition Sir David Low suggested to stage a counter demonstration.

When he failed to make it happen he dared to take on Lord Rothermere, proprietor of Briton's biggest most popular NEWS Paper ï¿½Daily Mail' who was approver and very active supporter of ï¿½Black Shirts' the rapidly growing NAZI British counterpart. (View Cartoon number DL0790 on British Cartoon Archive). It is noteworthy that the cartoon criticism (reminded me of ï¿½Muzzler') on ï¿½Nanny' of ï¿½Daily Black Shirts' by making a composite phrase to integrate identities of ï¿½Daily Mail' and ï¿½Black Shirts' . The Cartoon embarrassed Beaverbrook (Sir David Low's Employer) since Rothermere had helped Beaverbrook finance his purchase of the ï¿½Evening Standard'. The satirical wit on ï¿½DAILY MAIL' was explicit and clear. ï¿½We need a man of Action such as they have in Germany and Italy ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½. The cartoon casted disguised Rothermere, Nanny, pushing the Baby cart with baby Black Shirts.

NANNY imitates the NAZI Salute of Hitler and Mussolini who are shown to be raising their right hand with typical Salute. Both are hiding in their other hand the paper showing enormously rising figures of unemployment and trade deficit, wage down, prices up and tax burden in backyards of Germany and Italy . Sir David Low did not launch critique of ï¿½Hitler' abroad pretentiously but stood up courageously against ï¿½Hitler from within', from within Briton! Recently established ï¿½ Indian Institute of cartoonists' aims to foster democracy, takes clues from the experiences of fascism in European History and claims inspirations from Sir David Low, Shankar Pillai and R.K. Laxman is a welcome sign. But having Vision and living up to it are matters of retention of the heritage of that ï¿½Glorious Art' and practicing it in India are things apart. With upcoming dangers and rising tide of prejudice, the need of the hour is to obtain unflinching support from ï¿½un prejudiced' viewers as the source of energy and resource in defense of freedom.

Rather than making limited appeal only to ï¿½Philanthropists, Corporates, Bankers, Industrialists, Businessman and Media Magnates to open their hearts and purses to further this cause. Spread the word around ï¿½ it is essential to closely observe Beaverbrook ï¿½ Sir David low's relationship. As an admirer of Sir David Low, I can only provide word of caution, while gathering of these resources presence of ï¿½Black Ships' are likely to be there to subvert the vision. Sir David Low was not any one's hireling and must be credited for devising most innovative, ï¿½out of Box' methods to ensure preservation of freedom of the Artist and remain loyal to popular cause for which this Art exists. . What cartoon admirers now anxiously look forward is emergence of New Breed of ï¿½glorious cartoonish-artist', like Robert Minor, Rollin Kirby and Sir David Low who could launch inexorable unfailing criticism with an aim to ï¿½weaken prejudice and provoke people to use their own brainsï¿½!

David Low's ï¿½progress of man' remains an unfailing valid criticism of events in India of 1935, 1948, 1968, 1993, 2002 and its validity will continue till the ï¿½animal-man' becomes ï¿½human'. I recall the image from memory of a photographic News Paper image encapsulates a lonely, unclaimed, dead body lying in the pool of blood, with police van on the background on the emptied streets of Mumbai in the wake of 1992-93 post Babri Masjid demolition and ask whether any cartoonist in India has produced even a single carton which can match the ethos of this real unforgettable image? Answer is ï¿½No'. Indian cartoonists have not significantly resented the butcheries, like the one drawn by . Sir David , ï¿½Progress of Man 1935'. That is the reason why Christopher Andreae in ï¿½ The Christian Science Monitor / October 18, 1985 calls Sir David Low, `The thinking man's cartoonist'.

ï¿½Sir David Low aroused Britain's sense of humor, not horrorï¿½ He must be confronting Sir David Low with those who depicted others as ï¿½swines and snakes' in their prejudiced cartoon campaigns to evoke mass hysteria and neurosis, who saw their objective in blinding the viewers with prejudice and aroused sense of horror through ugly ï¿½counter violence' against the innocents, against working poor to settle one's own ancestral accounts. These are the conflicting legacies of ï¿½artists' who arouse ordinary man to surge forward and those who reversed the historical progress and pull the social order backward! India has yet to produce innovative cartoonists who can launch this glorious unfailing criticisms through cartoon campaigns. If not cartoonists, India has produced excellent Satirists like Vijay Tendulkar who raised his head above cultural and political degradation in his outstanding plays like ï¿½Ghashiram Kotwal', which portrays the rise of Ghashiram, the hatchet man, a psychopath, rising amidst the decaying Peshwai of seventeenth century Pune to highlight the socio historical origins of terror outfits!

Indian Cartoonists will have to ï¿½Call up' his courageous critical satire, the soul of cartoonish, for times to come. Anil Pundlik Gokhale, is an Engineer by profession and has been a reader and student of Marxist and Freudian literature for last four decades. He has been a professional translator of medical and other literature from English to Marathi. As a non regular writer on political literature he has always been attempting to integrate Psychology and Marxism. He is the author of ï¿½Condensation And Condescension In Dreams And History: Essay - From Sigmund Freud To E P Thompson' by Author House London.

Question: Which organisation was depicted as a carthorse in the cartoons of David Low?
Answer: T.U.C