Puck magazine cover - Merry Christmas in Boston / Keppler.
Summary
Illustration shows Thomas W. Lawson standing among Christmas gifts and a notice posted on the wall, which states "Christmas Greeting to Lawson Put all insurance proxies in your possession on the State House Steps by 11:15 to night or--!!!". He is surrounded by such gifts as, a box of "Dynamite Perfectos Smoke Up! [from] Addicks", a box of "Poisoned Candy Merry Xmas from McCall", a large box labeled "Infernal Machine Best wishes of Wall St.", a large jug with a skull and crossbones labeled "Drink Hearty from PA McCurdy", a smoking bomb labeled "To Tom from John D." nestled among flowers "From Rogers", and a sword "From Hyde". In the background is a Christmas tree with an oil can and one ornament showing a face.
Illus. in: Puck, v. 58, no. 1503 (1905 December 20), cover.
Copyright 1905 by Keppler & Schwarzmann.
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.
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