Tsars

Tsars, kings, and emperors
T.Carlyle used to say that "any Supreme power is buffoonery and jestery". We dare add "bloody jestery". People have always laughed at those above, whoever was ruling. Although tsars, kings, and emperors were considered to be the Lord's Anoiteds, they were often ridiculed: whether during European carnivals, or in Russian folk pictures. Perhaps, this way their policy and deeds had become more understandable for their peoples, as they became closer to the common citizens. The goal of professional caricature is bitter satire. Up to 1905 there were no caricatures of the Royalty in Russia. As to foreign caricaturists they did not show much respect towards Russian monarchs; they were pitiless with their Royalty, as well. In Britain George III and his Family were mocked by J. Gillray at the very beginning of the reign. The Great French Revolution gave way to anti-Royal satiric graphic art. The flourishing time of political caricature was the years of Napoleon rule. Caricaturists of almost every European country made fun of Napoleon, his army, policy and his private life. In 1830 A.-G. Dekan drew a caricature of Charles X; the king was depicted as a post decorated with the attributes of the Royal power. Back to the Russian monarchs. Peter the Great, for example, a very tall man with a small head and funny moustache, looked like a living caricature. His reforms were reflected in Russian satiric luboks. Catherine the Great was depicted together with a Devil presenting her Constantinople and Warsaw. In Russia she prohibited any satire and ordered to publish "All sorts of stuff" to hold up satirists as heartless and merciless to shame. Pavel I and his personality was the ideal target for caricaturists. But his death, alas, was the subject of "black humour". Nikolai I was more than any other Russian monarch ridiculed by the English humourists. European caricaturists laughed at Nikolai II; Russian caricaturists under pseudonyms published caricatures of the last Russian tsar in different magazines. A series of caricatures "History of One Reign" by D. Moor was published in 1916. After October 1917, every Soviet political caricaturist made the last Russian tsar a figure of fun. In 1918-1919 M. Cheremnikh created a series of 60 drawings "Where Russian tsars, clergy and landlords came from".
1. A king, carried to Hell by a Devil. The capitol of Magdeburg cathedral. 1215.	2. J. Gillray. Bread roasting. Caricature of George III.	3. J. Gillray. Generous ally. Caricature of Pavel I.
7. M. Cheremnikh. Caricature of Nikolai II. 1922.	4. O. Daumier. A pear. Caricature. 1833.	6. M.Vrubel. Caricature of Alexander II. 1902.
	5. O. Daumier. Caricature of Louis-Napoleon. 1850.

y Dmitry Moskin Information supplied by: http://www.soros.karelia.ru