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