A Brief Overview of the Political Cartoon
Politics can be complicated. For many, the word triggers a sense of unfamiliarity and complexity, especially now. For others, it means long arguments and a migraine. The simple fact of the matter is, the average person does not dwell in the political realm and would not like to do so. There is, however, a medium of expression in politics that is understandable by all. It is an easy-on-the-eyes way of understanding the grungy topic: the political cartoon.
The name itself is pretty self-explanatory: political cartoons are visuals that comment on the political issues and landscape of the time. The thing that makes them unique is the humor; political cartoons are often infused with comedy to normalize them and make them easier to decipher. In essence, they pull the double-duty of informant and comedian. The cartoon is crafted using a caricature, which is an image of a person or object that emphasizes certain details or aspects, and allusion, which is an indirect or passing reference to something. Political cartoons are not a recent manifestation. Cartoonists have been using the method to observe socioeconomic and political occurrences for quite some time now.
The origins of political illustrations lie in the Protestant Reformation. Back in sixteenth century Germany, visuals of religious and political figures were used to delineate the characters as heroes or villains. Artists and workers alike came together to churn out meaningful drawings on wood and metal. The practice became so popular, in fact, that woodcutting and metal engraving became full-fledged trades that people specialized in. The low literacy rates at the time promoted the popularity of these cartoons, as the simple drawings reached people when words could not. Eventually, the prominence of posters and pamphlets rose as well; they were created and distributed in towns and city centers, allowing the early cartoonists to propagandize the people. Soon after, Italian caricature was popularized, and went on to become the foundation for the cartoonists of the eighteenth century. The term “political cartoonist” reached the public ear, and as more and more people were exposed to the art the modern political cartoon emerged with a singular goal: to inform and influence viewers on serious issues while giving them a good laugh. As time went on, the scope only widened for these political cartoons; they deliberated and reviewed a greater range of topics, thereby generating an increased amount of interest and influence in society.
The cartoons are generally simple, but they use a variety of techniques and devices to convey their message. Cartoonists often use symbolism, for example, to allow regular objects to stand for larger concepts or ideas. Cartoonists may also use exaggeration in their work. Exaggerating a certain portion of a drawing indicates that the viewer should focus on that aspect of the drawing; facial features and clothing are commonly blown up. Analogies can be used to compare two unlike things and shine complicated issues under a different spotlight. Irony is often used to build on the creator’s opinion and extrapolate on the ridiculousness of whatever is being depicted. The most straightforward of the devices is labeling, which is when the cartoonist clearly indicates what a certain object or character stands for. It is important to remember, though, that the indicated portion of the drawing undoubtedly has considerable significance- it would not be included if it did not. Properly analyzing and understanding a political cartoon involves scrutinizing it for all of the techniques mentioned above.
There are very many important cartoons in our political history, each of which carries great depth and requires sufficient exploration to understand. Benjamin Franklin’s Join or Die, Honore Daumier’s Gargantua, Thomas Nast’s Who Stole the People’s Money?, and Bill Mauldin’s I Won the Nobel Prize for Literature. What Was Your Crime? are examples of some of the most significant political cartoons created. They each exemplify the diversity of the issues covered by political cartoonists, and are all deserving of their own extensive piece.
