This is a famous Renaissance jester that attracted the attention of the great satirist. Later there were not so many caricatures of "political jesters" though there were some.
Caricature - a representation of someone by which parts of their character or appearance are not made more noticeable, odd, or amusing than they really are. As the independent genre caricature appeared in the middle of the XIXth century when a lot of artists drew funny pictures of people with a huge head and a small body. Daumier made caricature a phenomenon of art, he showed a lot of hidden features - cunning, malice, foolishness, and greed - of human nature in general and of politicians. The caricaturist tries to unmask the vices in his bitter satire. Political caricature is always cunning because politicians are often and justly criticized. Political figures are to be mocked for the good of the society in general and their career.
Political caricatures changed with years. Today newspapers and magazines often contain caricatures of well-known politicians.
Political caricatures are numerous during the crisis and war years. Caricatures ridicule presidents, heads of parliaments, foreign secretaries. These political figures change, and sometimes, it seems, they appear only for caricatures. In 1990s a series of political caricatures "Who is Who" compiled by Luri (USA) was very popular in mass media. Some of the ridiculed are of course outstanding politicians, and people know and always remember them partly thanks to the caricaturists.
1. D. Bernini. Caricature of cardinal S. Borgeze. 1650.
2. D. Gillray. A toadstool on a dung hill.
Caricature of V. Pitt. 1791.
3. Caricature of O. Mirabo, called "Mirabo-butterfly".
4. O. Daumier. Argu. 1833
8. H. Heitzinger. Caricature of Y. Arafat. 1993.
5.Caricature of Napoleon III.
6. A. Keil. The power of the state is in its
people. 1932.
7. F. Graf. Caricature of Khomeini.
By Dmitry Moskin
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