Related
A Kick at the Broad Bottoms! i.e. - "Emancipation of All the Talents" / Js. Gillray, inv. & fec.
Summary
King George III, his face hidden by a pillar, grabs the pigtail of Lord Grenville, and holds his scepter as if ready to strike Grenville. Members of the government, including Howick, holding a torn copy of the Catholic Bill, Ellenborough, Buckingham, Temple, Windham, Moira, Sidmouth and Sheridan, rush from the room, falling on each other in the process. Petty and Erskine are sprawled on the floor. The king stands in front of his throne next to which is a Bible and a crown.
Catalog of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 8, no. 10709
Forms part of: British Cartoonn Prints Collection (Library of Congress).
Exhibited: Gillray and the Art of Caricature.
It wasn't really until the 1700s that caricature truly blossomed as a form of political criticism. In the late 1750s, a man named Thomas Townshend began using the techniques employed by earlier engravers and applying them towards a political model. This gave Thompson's cartoons a much greater feeling of propaganda than previous artistic critiques of the time. The intense political climate of the period, and often accusatory nature of most political cartoons forced many artists to use pseudonyms in order to avoid accusations of libel. Other artists took it a step farther, and left their cartoons completely unsigned, foregoing any credit they may have received. Political higher-ups were notoriously touchy about their reputations and were not afraid to make examples of offenders. Puck was the first successful humor magazine in the United States of colorful cartoons, caricatures and political satire of the issues of the day. It was published from 1871 until 1918.
Tags
Date
Contributors
Source
Copyright info
