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Texas ISD School Guide
Texas ISD School Guide







Short Stories for Teachers

The History of Caricature
By:Chris Carson

Comically exaggerating the features of the famous and powerful, caricatures have been used in politics and the entertainment industry for decades. However, the origin of the art form is much older than that.

Features
Caricatures are designed to oversimplify and exaggerate each subject's distinctive features, while still maintaining a recognizable likeness. Entertainment caricatures are usually meant to be amusing, but political caricatures can be quite inflammatory. The key to the caricature is exaggeration, not distortion.

History
A caricature of a person who is presumed to be a politician was found on an ancient monument in Pompeii. This drawing dates to about the 6th century B.C. French and Italian aristocrats traded caricatures for amusement throughout the end of the Renaissance. Leonardo Da Vinci looked for people with unusual features to act as models for his caricatures. But it was Annibale Caracci who made the caricature into its own art form. While most artists of the time concentrated on making the most beautiful paintings possible, Caracci created portraits of what was termed the "antithesis of beauty" and filled them with meaning.

Caricature in 19th Century France
Charles Philipon, a French caricaturist who owned a magazine titled "La Caricature," frequently offended King Louis-Phillipe's court and wound up in jail several times. His magazine was the first to portray the king as a pear, which quickly became the commonly-recognized symbol of Louis-Phillipe and his entire regime.

American Caricature Art
Thomas Nast was the most influential American caricaturist in the mid- to late 19th century. Specializing in political cartoons, Nast was also the artist who created the traditional image of Santa Claus and the Republican party's elephant symbol. But perhaps the best known American caricaturist was Al Hirschfeld, whose celebrity portraits appeared in "The New York Times" for over 70 years. He continued to draw and publish up until his death in 2003, just five months prior to his 100th birthday.

Caricature Today
Many caricature artists may be found working in malls, at fairs and theme parks, and at resorts. Some ply their trade at private parties, banquets and conventions. Of course, the political and entertainment industry caricaturists publish their work in magazines and newspapers. While many enjoy what they do, few ever become wealthy from it.






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