Caricature

Have you ever been to the boardwalk and have seen a person sitting down as another draws them. You seem a sweet child's face glowing, waiting to see the result of the artist. Peering over his shoulder, instead of seeing something that looks like the fidgety kid, it is a human-like figure with vague connections, exaggerating his poking out ears and bucked teeth, the stain on his shirt and his spiky hair? This is a caricature. While people now create them as silly face, they use to be created as political cartoons, still to laugh at, yet held much meaning. Most of the time, they would target the current ruler and point out his flaws in humorous ways, spreading truth and giggles at the same time.
Honore Daumier was a french print maker, painter, sculptor, and the first caricaturist. One work he created even put him in jail because it was so offensive to the French King at that time. This piece was called Le Charivari and portrayed the ruler as a huge, fat person eating humans and their gold as the tiny, little humans withered away in line. He is going to the bathroom, but instead of what is suppose to come out, laws and other so called "vital" documents were discarded from his rectum, obviously telling Daumier's views of this ruler.

While Daumier created many caricatures, he also created other works of art to show his sympathy for the working, loyal, diligent citizens. One of my favorite pieces I saw at the Philadelphia Museum of art was actually his painting called The Print Lover.

I love creating caricatures, whether happy or mean, they are so much fun. Today was the day we began drawing them, and as I drew my teachers head even larger than normal, I had a blast. They are quick and I am seriously considering being one of those artists sitting on the boardwalk. I will have to practice if I decide this of course, yet it is so much quick, fun, loving art. I love laughing at them too, as I placed hidden meanings in my teacher caricature he will only understand. HAHA!