James Gillray,
MONSTROUS CRAWS,
at a New Coalition Feast,
etching with watercolor, 1787
Library of Congress purchase, 1921
Prints and Photographs Division (10)

All objects in this exhibition, unless otherwise noted, are preserved in the Prints and Photographs Division. This exhibition was prepared with support from the Caroline and Erwin Swann Memorial Fund for Caricature and Cartoon.

An exhibition in the Swann Gallery of Caricature and Cartoon
at the Library of Congress, February 25 - July 6, 1998

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Exhibition Overview - Credits

For centuries great graphic artists have created enduring images that demonstrate the power of art as a vehicle for social and political commentary. Caricatures and cartoons are among the most lasting and effective of these images. These drawings, often depicting principal events and figures of the day, become in the hands of a master at once topical and timeless, unique and universal. Usually created under short deadlines for reproduction in a commercial format such as a newspaper or magazine, cartoons and caricatures reflect the artists' attempts to enlighten, amuse, provoke, or persuade their readers. In the effort to express themselves and engage their audience, these artists have produced original works of extraordinary historical and artistic value, shedding vivid light on their times, and, in retrospect, our own.