WHEN THE SERIOUS issues of the day require a deeper, more satirical lambasting, the political cartoon comes into play. Cartoons and caricatures provide a potent arsenal of inky, satirical weapons with which to splatter the powerful and corrupt.
where it all started
Since the 18th century when Londoner James Gillray began this powerful form of satire, the political cartoon has been a constant feature in most national newspapers. With gags, symbolism and caricature combined with a level of artistry not normally seen in joke cartoons, the political cartoon can dramatically alter political opinions. Cartoonist Vicky’s lampooning of Harold MacMillan as ‘SuperMac’ made a significant contribution to his defeat in the general election and Steve Bell’s savage and scathing portrayals of Margaret Thatcher and John Major in the Guardian also served to reduce their popularity.
today’s scene
Political cartoons these days really reflect the opinions of the newspapers’ editors and range from the deceptively-mild (but always hilarious) ‘editorial cartoon’ of Mac in the Daily Mail (more of an expanded front page pocket cartoon, really) right through to the free-ranging invective - seemingly produced through showers of angry spittle - of Martin Rowson and Steve Bell in The Guardian, Dave Brown in the Independent and Peter Brookes in the Times.
The political cartoon is often thought of as the cartoonist’s Holy Grail. But it usually consists of a gruelling daily schedule: producing five or six roughs for editors to choose from - and even then, the editor will often change the emphasis of the cartoon from the original, much to the cartoonist’s exasperation.
get your teeth into these
There will be a wide range of political cartoons on show at The London International Cartoon Festival, for a full blast of satire.
