HISTORICAL TREASURE: Current political cartoons have come a long way from earlier prototypes

By Freida Murphy
Special to the Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE May 03, 2008 08:31 pm

— In an election year, there are an abundance of political cartoons. The earliest cartoons known to exist were made by Rapheal (1515-16) on tapestry for Pope Leo X. They are in the Victoria and Albert Museum in England. There was considerable interest in them and in 1865, resulted in the magazine, “Punch.” This is said to be the origin of the term as applied to drawings that crystallized current trends of thought into pictorial form, often humorous or derisive.
In the United States, famous early drawings of cartoon characters include Benjamin Franklin’s “Join or Die,” showing the colonies as separate parts of a snake. Paul Revere in the American Revolution was a notable subject of illustrations and caricature. Thomas Nast was hired by Harpers Weekly to draw pictures of news events. He originated the donkey as the symbol of the Democratic Party on Jan. 15, 1870, and the Republican elephant on Nov. 7, 1874.
The first notable political cartoon appeared in 1884 by Walt McDougall. Called “The Royal Feast of Belshazzar and the Money Kings,” it referred to a dinner held for Republican presidential candidate James G. Blaine in his campaign against Grover Cleveland.
Political cartoons of the present day have come a long way from their prototypes. They are simple and direct as opposed to the general depictions of Nast’s elephant and donkey, Kirby’s dour figure of prohibition, Shoemaker’s John Q. Public, and John Bull, Uncle Sam and the American Eagle.
Political figures soon became recognizable by certain characteristics – Teddy Roosevelt by big teeth and “big stick,” FDR by his prominent chin and long cigarette holder, Hitler’s dangling forelock and mustache, Mussolini’s jutting chin, Churchill’s cigar and V for Victory sign, Truman’s bow tie, John L. Lewis’ bushy eyebrows. Herbert Block (Herblock) always portrayed Nixon with a “five o’clock shadow,” which made him look more sinister.
Political cartoonists today are having a field day with Barack Obama’s big ears, long thin face, and big smile. Hillary has prominent cheek bones and John McCain has a face like a full moon.