History and the concept of caricature: what is a classic and modern caricature?

Caricature (translation from Italian) means exaggeration. Closely related to her in the genre are the cartoon, the grotesque and the splint.

Cartoons: what is it?

Art is constantly changing, new forms of it are emerging. A caricature is an already existing genre of painting. Art historians know the two most basic concepts that can characterize this genre:

1. A humorous image in which a ridiculous effect is achieved through exaggeration and sharpening of the main features, as well as the use of unusual artistic techniques, assimilations and comparisons.

2. The genre of graphics, which in satirical form depicts significant social, political, historical events or describes a certain type of people.

Having received the answer to the question: "Cartoons - what is it?", It will be very interesting to learn the history of the origin of this art direction. And it was born a long time ago.

Caricature since ancient times was considered a very effective way to laugh at the opponent, highlighting his shortcomings. In addition, it reflects the pressing problems of society.

So, it is known that Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte hated the French caricatures, which represented him as a dwarf in a huge triangular hat. The commander-in-chief of the troops, Mikhail Kutuzov, even ordered the creation of a special art staff engaged in creating drawings that mocked the Corsican.

Cartoons in pre-revolutionary Russia

In our country, all the new trends have traditionally come from Europe. In the 19th century, the aristocracy of Russia became acquainted with such a genre of art as the French caricatures. The development of this genre was very closely intertwined with journalism. First, the newspapers published funny drawings, and under them was added an explanation of what is depicted on the cartoon. Later, the need for signatures fell away. The technique of drawing became better and it was no longer necessary to describe in detail what it meant. However, the tsarist censorship exercised strict control over the development of the cartoon. What is the supervision of the authorities, do not need to explain. Any image that bureaucrats considered threatening the political order was not allowed to be printed. However, the development of caricature as a genre was impossible to stop. The most sarcastic images were transmitted from hand to hand and even redrawn.

But the official caricature also developed. Many serious publications devoted entire pages to humorous departments. Most often cartoons did not address acute social and political problems, but portrayed the unfortunate artists, small traders and bureaucrats who were being roughed up. Also were very popular and caricatures, which became the embodiment of idle gossip, often without any basis. So, caricatures of women, rotating in the actors' circles, brought the latter a lot of emotions.

In the middle of the 19th century the first Russian magazine of satire "Yeralash" appeared under the publishing house of the famous artist Nevahovich, who often created drawings for his rooms.

Cartoon in the USSR

In the Soviet Union, all spheres of life, including art, were subordinated to a single goal-the struggle against the external enemy, capitalism, and the moral costs of building socialism. The main themes for caricatures were drunkenness, laziness, parasitism, petty hooliganism. These qualities were cruelly ridiculed by popular magazines and newspapers. But, as with any totalitarian regime, there was also the direction of an underground caricature. What is the abuse of power, censorship, the arbitrariness of local officials and the imperfection of the new political system are the main issues that artists tried to answer with caustic drawings.

Contemporary cartoons

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the need for total censorship disappeared. Now almost all topics were opened. But the most popular political cartoons. Caricatures of modern officials and public figures filled all the media. Particularly fond of the artists the image of the odious Vladimir Zhirinovsky. Caricatures on new topics were also drawn: criminals, oligarchs, new views on the political struggle. Now they can be found on the Internet.

Caricature Museums

Every genre of art deserves to devote to it individual exhibitions. So, in 2011 in Voronezh the humor museum "Merry Ladder" was opened. Its founder was the popular cartoonist Ivan Anchukov. The museum has permanent exhibitions, and a wall on which all young and talented artists can post their work. Later I. Anchukov plans to open a school of caricature. Visitors to the museum like the archives, which store drawings of different eras, posters, humorous road signs, T-shirts and T-shirts with funny drawings, funny postcards, as well as unique author's sketches. The creator of the museum came up with and implemented the original chessboard with caricature images on it.