Helen Farr Sloan’s Collection of Political Cartoons, 1802-1950
Collection
Identifier: 50-13-001
Scope and Content:
The Helen Farr Sloan’s political cartoon collection (1802-1950) contains a variety of prints of political cartoons, illustrations, and caricatures from several different magazines. The collection contains pages from magazines, pages from books, and other prints that were not a part of a publication. The magazines featured include Puck, Judge, Vanity Fair (British, 1868-1914), Vanity Fair (American, 1913-1936), Harper’s Weekly, Gil Blas, Le Charivari, Truth, The New Yorker, The Illustrated London News, The New York Herald, and The Sun. There are other series included like Treagar’s Black Jokes and Le Gens de Paris. There are works from publishers like S.W. Fores, Currier & Ives, and J.Sidebotham. Also included are works by Rowlandson, which are individually published.
The first series contains cartoons from Puck magazine. Its materials are pages and covers from the magazine including the fronts and backs of the pages. The artists that are included are Frederick Burr Opper, Frederich Graetz, Bernhard Gillam, J.S. Pughe, James Albert Wales, and Samuel Ehrhart.
The second series contains cartoons from Judge magazine. The materials are pages and covers from the magazine and include both the fronts and backs of the pages. The artists that are included are Thomas Worth, Bernhard Gillam, Victor Gillam, and Grant E. Hamilton.
The third series contains cartoons, caricatures, and portraits from Vanity Fair (British, 1868-1914) and Vanity Fair (American, 1913-1936) magazines. The materials for the British magazine include the one-sided caricatures and cartoons featured in the publication. The material for the American magazine contains a portrait on the front and a table of contents on the back of the page. The artists that are included are Carlo Pellegrini (Ape/Singe), James Tissot (Coïdé), Thomas Nast, Leslie Ward (Spy), and William Henry Cotton.
The fourth series contains cartoons from Harper’s Weekly magazine. The materials include the front and back side of pages from the magazine. The artists that are included are William L. Sheppard, Charles G. Bush, Thomas Nast, and A.B. Frost.
The fifth series contains cartoons, caricatures, and illustrations from various magazines and publications. The artists and their publications include Théophile Steinlin, from Gil Blas, Sulpice Guillaume Chevalier (Paul Gavarni), from Le Gens de Paris, Thomas Rowlandson, William Summers, from Tregear’s Black Jokes, Charles Williams, William Elmes, George Cruikshank, Isaac Robert Cruikshank, Jules Joseph Georges Renard (Draner), Charles Robinson, from The Illustrated London News, Thomas Worth, Richard F. Outcault, from the New York Herald, Helen E. Hokinson, from The New Yorker, Charles Amédée de Noé (Cham), from Le Charivari, Sydney B. Griffin, from Truth, Oscar Cesare, from The Sun, and William Bruns.
There are a wide variety of themes and events covered in the cartoons and illustrations throughout the collection. There are numerous presidential elections covered including the elections of 1806, 1880, 1884, 1888, 1892, and 1900. The 43rd and 54th Congresses are both represented within cartoons in the series. Other events that are shown in cartoons in the collection are the Chicago World’s Fair/World’s Columbian Exposition, the Spanish-American War, Reconstruction, and the Kansas Exodus. There are also many representations of the Democratic, Republican, Greenback, and Citizens parties as well as Tammany Hall. Other themes included are immigration, Jewish communities, social ambition, weather problems, voting rights, the gold standard vs. free silver debate, diseases, family roles, plantations, white supremacy groups, Communism, financial issues, militaries, pic-nic societies, King George IV’s court, political corruption, and social events and issues. A large number of the cartoons included in the collections are products of their times and therefore many include racist language and depictions. The transcriptions and metadata associated with each cartoon is described as is for the purpose of providing the easiest access to the collection and does in no way reflect the views of Wilkes University or its archive department.
The first series contains cartoons from Puck magazine. Its materials are pages and covers from the magazine including the fronts and backs of the pages. The artists that are included are Frederick Burr Opper, Frederich Graetz, Bernhard Gillam, J.S. Pughe, James Albert Wales, and Samuel Ehrhart.
The second series contains cartoons from Judge magazine. The materials are pages and covers from the magazine and include both the fronts and backs of the pages. The artists that are included are Thomas Worth, Bernhard Gillam, Victor Gillam, and Grant E. Hamilton.
The third series contains cartoons, caricatures, and portraits from Vanity Fair (British, 1868-1914) and Vanity Fair (American, 1913-1936) magazines. The materials for the British magazine include the one-sided caricatures and cartoons featured in the publication. The material for the American magazine contains a portrait on the front and a table of contents on the back of the page. The artists that are included are Carlo Pellegrini (Ape/Singe), James Tissot (Coïdé), Thomas Nast, Leslie Ward (Spy), and William Henry Cotton.
The fourth series contains cartoons from Harper’s Weekly magazine. The materials include the front and back side of pages from the magazine. The artists that are included are William L. Sheppard, Charles G. Bush, Thomas Nast, and A.B. Frost.
The fifth series contains cartoons, caricatures, and illustrations from various magazines and publications. The artists and their publications include Théophile Steinlin, from Gil Blas, Sulpice Guillaume Chevalier (Paul Gavarni), from Le Gens de Paris, Thomas Rowlandson, William Summers, from Tregear’s Black Jokes, Charles Williams, William Elmes, George Cruikshank, Isaac Robert Cruikshank, Jules Joseph Georges Renard (Draner), Charles Robinson, from The Illustrated London News, Thomas Worth, Richard F. Outcault, from the New York Herald, Helen E. Hokinson, from The New Yorker, Charles Amédée de Noé (Cham), from Le Charivari, Sydney B. Griffin, from Truth, Oscar Cesare, from The Sun, and William Bruns.
There are a wide variety of themes and events covered in the cartoons and illustrations throughout the collection. There are numerous presidential elections covered including the elections of 1806, 1880, 1884, 1888, 1892, and 1900. The 43rd and 54th Congresses are both represented within cartoons in the series. Other events that are shown in cartoons in the collection are the Chicago World’s Fair/World’s Columbian Exposition, the Spanish-American War, Reconstruction, and the Kansas Exodus. There are also many representations of the Democratic, Republican, Greenback, and Citizens parties as well as Tammany Hall. Other themes included are immigration, Jewish communities, social ambition, weather problems, voting rights, the gold standard vs. free silver debate, diseases, family roles, plantations, white supremacy groups, Communism, financial issues, militaries, pic-nic societies, King George IV’s court, political corruption, and social events and issues. A large number of the cartoons included in the collections are products of their times and therefore many include racist language and depictions. The transcriptions and metadata associated with each cartoon is described as is for the purpose of providing the easiest access to the collection and does in no way reflect the views of Wilkes University or its archive department.
Dates
- 1802-1950
Access:
Anyone may access these political cartoons.
Biographical Sketch of Helen Farr Sloan:
Helen Farr Sloan was born on February 24, 1911 in New York City to Dr. Charles and Helen Farr. She always had a strong interest in art and knew that was the future she wanted to pursue. She graduated from Brearley School, a private all girls school, in 1929 and went on to study anatomy at Cornell’s medical college. While she was taking anatomy classes, she also studied different mediums of art like pottery and weaving at the Craft Students League. When she was only sixteen, she was accepted into the Art Students League in New York. It was here that she began studying with well-known American artist, John Sloan (1871-1951). She and Sloan became close and she began staying with him and his family in Santa Fe, New Mexico during the summers throughout the 1930s. While she was in New Mexico, Helen joined and worked with the Santa Fe art colony. She traveled back and forth from Santa Fe and New York City before remaining in New York working as the head of the art department for Nightingale-Bamford School, an all girls preparatory school.
In 1944, Sloan’s wife passed away and Helen traveled to Santa Fe again to comfort her friend in 1945. She and Sloan collaborated on art and a book, The Gist of Art. Just as she was about to return to New York City, Sloan proposed to her, and that same year they got married. She and Sloan worked on more art together up until his death in 1951. She returned to her job teaching art and assisting in research about her husband and his role in American art. She also handled his estate and was able to make donations and contributions to places such as the University of Delaware, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Gallery of Art, the New York Historical Society, and the Sordoni Art Gallery. She also donated over 5,000 of John Sloan’s works, which covered the different styles of his whole career, to the Delaware Art Museum. She was appointed as a member of the Sordoni Art Advisory Commission and gifted over 300 pieces of art to the museum and Wilkes University, many of which were works done by her husband. Her interests in collecting art and sharing her collections resulted also in her donation of this political cartoon collection. Helen Farr Sloan lived her life with a love for art and sharing the arts until her death on December 13, 2005, in Delaware at which time she was 94.
Historical Sketch of Puck Magazine:
Puck Magazine was a highly successful weekly humor and satirical magazine that ran in the United States from 1876 to 1918. It was founded by Joseph Keppler, an Austrian cartoonist, who had studied art in Vienna before moving to the United States. Keppler attempted to publish a weekly cartoon magazine in St. Louis, Missouri that he titled Puck, though it did not gain much traction. He tried again in 1876, once again printing Puck as a German publication, but it gained more success when he began printing in English as well. Later in 1891 Puck became exclusively an English publication, which boosted its popularity. In 1877 Henry Cuyler Burner, an American journalist, became editor of Puck. Eventually the Puck offices moved to New York City where Keppler continued drawing cartoons until 1894 and where Burner was editor until 1896. Henry Leon Wilson, an American writer, became editor for a short period of time, and in 1902 Joseph Keppler Jr, an American cartoonist and son of Joseph Keppler, took over until 1916 when he sold Puck. It ran under William Randolph Hearst until 1918 when its last edition was published in September. Some cartoonists featured in Puck during its run were Frederick Burr Opper, Eugene Zimmerman, Frederich Graetz, Bernhard Gillam, J.S. Pughe, James Albert Wales, Samuel Ehrhart, and Joseph Keppler himself.
The name Puck derived from the term “puckish” meaning playful or mischievous and from the character “Puck” from William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Puck became a character featured on the cover of Puck and in some cartoons. One of Puck’s lines was “What fools these mortals be!” which is also featured on the cover of Puck alongside the character. Similar to the word and the character, Puck was meant to be a humorous magazine that featured political cartoons and satirical articles, stories, and poems. Puck was a mostly Democratic aligned publication and commonly criticized Republican politicians and beliefs. One theme that appeared frequently was political corruption, something Puck was so strongly against that they criticized their own Democratic party for it. Other themes covered were the Greenback Party, immigration, Tammany Hall, war tariffs, the Citizens’ Party, societal issues, and presidential campaigns. Popular national events covered by Puck were the presidential election of 1880, the election of 1896, the 43rd and 54th Congresses, and the free silver vs. gold standard debate. Additionally, Puck was also known for its coverage of the 1884 presidential election. Their cartoonists supported Grover Cleveland and are credited as influencing the results of the election.
Although Puck had many cartoonists featured during its run, there were some political cartoonists who were unhappy working at the magazine. In 1881 James Albert Wales left Puck and founded Judge magazine with Frank Tousey and George H. Jessop, but struggled because of low subscriptions due to the Long Depression and competition with Puck. However, following the 1884 presidential election, Judge magazine was purchased by William J. Arkell in 1885. Arkell paid Puck cartoonists to leave and work for Judge including Zimmerman and Gillam. They were offered better pay and believed Judge offered more creative freedom. They created many anti-Cleveland cartoons and swiftly became a huge rival to Puck, eventually surpassing them.
Puck is credited as being the first successful humor magazine in the United States and the first magazine to include illustrations with advertisements. Its fall is most likely due to its shift away from political satire which resulted in a loss of public interest. Hearst’s own newspaper later adopted the title Puck and its slogan for their Sunday comic section in 1931 until the early 1970s. Hearst once again used Puck for a comic section, this time in the Los Angeles Herald Examiner around 1977, and continued until 1989. Since then Puck has ceased to run as a comedic paper or section. Even throughout its many changes, Puck still remains as one of the most popular and successful humor magazines of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Historical Sketch of Judge Magazine:
Judge was a satirical magazine that was published weekly in the United States from 1881 to 1947. James Albert Wales, Frank Tousy, and George H. Jessop came together to form the magazine in 1881 and published its first edition in October. Wales was an American cartoonist and illustrator who had previously worked for Puck until 1881 when he left to form Judge. Tousy was an American writer who specialized in dime novels. Jessop was an Irish novelist and playwright. He also did work as a journalist for Judge as well as Puck. The magazine did not pick up when it was first published, partially due to the fact that the United States was in a financial depression. It was also due to the fact that Puck was booming as the top satirical magazine. In 1885 William J. Arkell purchased Judge after Puck’s cartoons supporting Grover Cleveland assisted in his winning of the 1884 United States presidential election. He paid Puck cartoonists Eugene Zimmerman and Bernhard Gillam to leave and illustrate for Judge. The magazine began publishing cartoons mocking Cleveland and his administration. This gave Judge a boost in popularity, quickly becoming a rival to Puck, and eventually surpassing it in popularity.
The themes and events covered in Judge and its political alliance were further established in 1886 when Isaac M. Gregory (1837-1901) became editor. Judge is known for its coverage of William Mckinley’s run for president. Other themes and events covered were the presidential campaigns in 1888, the Chicago World’s Fair, the Spanish-American War, the free silver vs gold standard debate, the presidential election of 1900, and other societal issues. Judge also commonly criticized Democratic politicians. Bernhard Gilliam frequently drew them in black face as a way to mock them and their beliefs. Some other cartoonists who were featured in Judge are Victor Gillam, Grant E. Hamilton, and Thomas Worth.
Judge continued having editorial changes throughout its running period, but this is partially what resulted in its ending. Following Isaac Gregory as editor was Edward Anthony until 1924 when Harold Ross took over. Ross only stayed for a few months using his time as editor at Judge to go on and start his magazine, The New Yorker. Between the huge success The New Yorker had as a rising magazine and the Great Depression, Judge lost its subscriptions. It attempted to switch to monthly publications, but subscriptions were still low, so in 1947 Judge released its final publication. In 1953 there was a brief revival of Judge, and it contained a wide range of sections, including political cartoons. Eventually that revival ended and today Judge is no longer a magazine, however its run remains impressive having amassed huge circulation numbers that surpassed its rivals.
Historical Sketch of Vanity Fair Magazine (British, 1868-1914):
Vanity Fair was a weekly magazine in England that contained a range of articles including those on fashion, theatre, current events, fiction, and word puzzles. It was founded by Thomas Gibson Bowles and ran from 1868 until 1914. The title was taken from the novel, Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray. Bowles also included the subtitle, “A Weekly Show of Political, Societal and Literary Waves.” The magazine struggled to gain traction until 1869 when its first ever caricature was included. The caricature was of Benjamin Disrael, British Prime Minister, and immediately resulted in a popularity boost of the magazine. The magazine continued to include caricatures of famous individuals during the Victorian and Edwardian eras which reflected the novel it got its title from due to it being a satire on British society in the 19th century. Vanity Fair became known for its caricatures some of which included athletes, statesmen, royalty, authors, military figures, and religious figures. They also included caricatures of foreign figures when they visited London. The caricatures became so popular that despite their mocking nature many felt honored to be included in the magazine.
Since the magazine had a wide range of articles and sections, there were many people whose work was included, many of which wrote or drew under pseudonyms. Bowles himself wrote many articles under the name “Jehu Junior” after a biblical figure. Other writers included Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), Pelham (P. G.) Wodehouse, Bertram Fletcher Robinson, Jessie Pope, Arthur Hervey, and William (Willie) Wilde. The regular artists included, Max Beerbohm, Melchiorre Delfico, Adriano Cecioni, Thomas Nast, Liboro Prosperi (“Lib’), Prosper d’Épinay (“Nemo”), Leslie Ward (“Spy” and “Drawl”), Carlo Pellegrini (“Singe” and “Ape”), and James Tissot (“Coïdé”).
Similar to other magazines of its time, Vanity Fair also experienced many editorial changes that may have contributed to its end. In 1887, Bowles sold the magazine to Arthur H. Evans then founded another magazine. The editor for the period following this is unknown, but the next known editor was Bertram Fletcher Robinson from 1904 -1906. At some point the magazine had been purchased by Frank Harris who then sold it to Thomas Allinson in 1911. The magazine had begun to lose subscriptions and was not able to be saved. In March 1879 the last issue of Vanity Fair was published. Despite the original unpopularity of the magazine, Vanity Fair became an international success that will always be known for its caricatures.
Other magazines ran with the same name during similar dates including the American magazine Vanity Fair that ran 1913-1936. Condé Nast who had purchased a fashion magazine and named it originally Dress and Vanity Fair, then just Vanity Fair. It had a similar range of articles like the British magazine and included work from authors including Thomas Wolfe and T.S. Eliot. The magazine merged with Vogue in 1936 after losing subscriptions and being unable to maintain financial stability during the Great Depression. Vanity Fair, however, was revived in 1983 and continues running today as a popular culture magazine.
Historical Sketch of Harper’s Weekly Magazine:
Harper’s Weekly was an American magazine from 1857 to 1916 that featured articles on politics, foreign news, fiction, and satirical cartoons. It was created by Fletcher Harper and published by Harper & Brothers, a company run by himself and his brothers James, John, and Joseph Wesley. The company had been created by James and John and was called J. & J. Harper in 1817, and then it became Harper & Brothers in 1833, a few years after the other two brothers joined. They published their own monthly magazine, Harper’s Magazine, in 1850, which featured artists, authors, and politics. It became a success because of the well-known authors being published in the magazine and because of the high demand, Fletcher Harper decided to create a weekly magazine, Harper’s Weekly. In 1857 the magazine was first published by their company and in addition to the articles, it featured a large number of illustrations. As Fletcher suspected, the weekly magazine soon gained a large number of subscribers and was a hit. It became known for the illustrations from artists such as A.B. Frost, Charles G. Bush, William L. Sheppard, Winslow Homer, and Livingston Hopkins. In 1862, Fletcher hired illustrator Thomas Nast to draw for the magazine. He became a well-known recurring illustrator for the magazine, working there for 20 years, and is often referred to as being the father of political cartoons in the United States.
The content in Harper’s Weekly had originally been more moderate politically and especially on the subject of slavery, garnering them the name “Harper’s Weakly” by their critics. They also supported Stephen Douglas during the election of 1860 and had been against Abraham Lincoln. However, once the Civil War broke out in the United States, Harper’s Weekly became pro Lincoln and the Union. Harper’s Weekly had become the most read magazine in the United States during the Civil War, especially in the North. Most people in states in the North did not know the extent of brutality slaves in the South faced, but in 1863 Harper’s Weekly published illustrations of escaped slaves. They included an image of a newly escaped slave, Gordon, with a heavily scarred back from being whipped. This article is credited as being a motivator for many in the North to enlist in the Union army.
George William Curtis became political editor in 1863 and, being considered one of the earliest Republicans, brought along Republican aligned ideas and opinions. Following the Civil War, Harper’s Weekly became one of the most notorious Republican magazines of the 19th and 20th centuries. The magazine, and Nast specifically, had heavy public influence and assisted in securing support for presidential candidates. The magazine showed support for Ulysses S. Grant during both of his campaigns in 1868 and 1872, and Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876. Hayes claimed Nast as having the strongest influence for his campaign. Harper’s Weekly did not agree with the Republican candidate, James G. Blaine, in 1884 because he was considered to be corrupt. They instead supported Grover Cleveland, as many Republicans were during the election. Nast’s campaign against William Tweed’s corruption and Tammany Hall is what eventually aided in Tweed’s arrest in 1873 for fraud. The magazine also covered topics and events such as Reconstruction, voting laws, financial issues, Communism, white supremacy groups, and social issues.
Nast’s departure from Harper’s Weekly most likely contributed to the magazine’s downfall. Curtis and Nast always butted heads on the topic of political caricatures, Curtis believing it to be childish, and Nast typically drawing Democratic politicians in a mocking way. This disagreement only grew following the death of Fletcher in 1877 when his nephews took over and agreed with Curtis. Nast left the magazine in 1886 and many believed it would not be as important politically. The magazine continued publishing fiction and political articles, even becoming the first American publication to print a Sherlock Holmes story. George Harvey also became an editor for the magazine and showed massive support for Woodrow Wilson as a presidential candidate. After this, however, Harper’s Weekly began to lose public interest and had to publish its last magazine in 1916 before merging with The Independent. Harper & Brothers’ other magazine, Harper’s Magazine remained a public favorite, even today, and in the 1970s had used the title Harper’s Weekly for a spinoff continuing the legacy of the magazine.
Extent
1 boxes
Language of Materials
English
Provenance:
Helen Farr Sloan owned this collection before donating the cartoons to Wilkes in approximately 1980 or early 1980s.
Acquisition:
The exact date in which Helen Farr Sloan donated this collection to Wilkes University is unknown, however, some accession documentation indicates it may have been in 1980, or early 1980s.
Condition Note:
The majority of the collection is in good or fair condition. Some of the materials are in poor condition, most likely due to being removed from a magazine. These are 1.35, 1.58, 1.79, and 1.80. 1.80 specifically is more delicate than the others listed due to the page being thin. The materials listed should be handled with more care.
Copyright:
All of these political cartoons are in the public domain.
Series Descriptions:
The collection consists of:
Series I: Puck Magazine Prints, 1879-1899
Series II: Judge Magazine Prints, 1882-1900
Series III: Vanity Fair Magazine Prints, 1869-1931
Subseries I: Vanity Fair Magazine (British, 1868-1914), 1869-1887
Subseries II: Vanity Fair Magazine (American, 1913-1936), 1931
Series IV: Harper’s Weekly Magazine Prints, 1868-1880
Series V: Other historic magazine prints, 1802-1950
Subseries I: Gil Blas, 1893-1896
Subseries II: Le Gens De Paris, 1846
Subseries III: Rowlandson, 1807-1821
Subseries IV: Tregear’s Black Jokes, 1834
Subseries V: Other prints, 1802-1950
Series I: Puck Magazine Prints, 1879-1899
Series I: Puck Magazine Prints, 1879-1899, is arranged chronologically by date and contains political cartoons and prints from Puck Magazine from 1879-1899. Puck Magazine was founded by Joseph Keppler(1838-1894) and ran 1876-1918. The magazine focused on political and social themes and events during the 19th and 20th centuries. These themes and events were reflected through cartoons, caricatures, and satirical articles. It provided a mostly Democratic aligned perspective on issues. The magazine was the first to include illustrated advertisements in its publication and is credited with being the first successful weekly magazine in full-color lithography. Earlier editions of the magazine were also printed in German until 1891 when all publications were printed exclusively in English. This collection includes both English and German editions of the magazine. It is important to note that this series contains harmful and racist depictions and language in both the illustrations and captions, and many people were drawn in racist stereotypes. The themes that appear throughout this series include political parties such as the Republican Party, Democratic Party, Greenback Party, Citizens Party, and the Tammany Hall organization. The series also includes the presidential elections of 1880 and 1896 as well as presidential elections and campaigns in general. There are mentions of the 43rd and 54th Congresses as well as congressional elections. Other themes mentioned are immigration, Jewish communities, social ambition, weather issues, voting rights, the gold standard and free silver debate, and other social issues. The back sides of the cartoons are included, although most are just advertisements, there are some containing cartoons and articles, mostly unrelated to the main cartoon. Some of the cartoons do not have dates when they were published and are included at the end of the series. There are seven different artists in this series and most have a few cartoons included.
The artists featured in the series are:
Frederick Burr Opper (1857-1937), an American cartoonist who has been edited as one of the first creators of newspaper comic strips in the United States. He had dropped out of school at a young age to pursue his career as an illustrator. He was hired by Puck in 1880 and worked there for 18 years. Much of his work for the magazine was criticisms of journalists and, more specifically, sensationalism. Many of his cartoons also reflected his negative feelings about trusts. Following his time at Puck Opper illustrated books for authors including Mark Twain as well as publishing his own illustrated books. The themes and events his work contains in this series are voting rights, the election of 1880, the Greenback Party, Tammany Hall, William Evarts’ campaign, immigration, and social issues like pool houses. His cartoons included in the series are, “The Bankrupt Outrage Mill,” “Great Political Excitement in Indiana,” “The Pool Mania,” “Press Rumors About Arthur,” “The Weather Clerk’s Leapfrog,” “The First of May–Tammany Moves Into Its New Quarters,” “The Innocents,” “British Detectives,” “The Great Political Future of the Farmer,” “The Charge of the City Cousins,” “What Has Become of Evarts? –We Suggest a Journalistic Exploring Expedition,” and “The ‘Dry Goods’ Store of the Period.”
Frederich Graetz (1842-1912), an Austrian illustrator who studied art in Germany and worked in Vienna before joining Puck. His work first appeared in the satirical magazine Kikeriki, from 1872 to 1875 in Vienna, which was critical of the Austrian government and supported social change. In 1882 Graetz was hired by Joseph Keppler to create political cartoons for Puck. He left in 1885 since Puck was going to cut his salary. His work for the magazine reflected the Democratic positions on issues that Puck was known for publishing. Graetz illustrated cartoons discussing public health and immigration. He also provided a negative stance towards immigration and Jewish people in his cartoons. The themes and events of his cartoons within this series are the Citizens Party, weather, and children’s issues. His work that is included in this series is “The Citizens Aroused,” “Midsummer Madness,” and “The Children’s Carnival–the Fashionable Slaughter of the Innocents.”
Bernhard Gillam (1856-1896), an English cartoonist who illustrated for many American magazines. He first worked for The New York Graphic, then Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, and Harper’s Weekly. He then became a recurring member of Puck where he illustrated cartoons against James G. Blaine and his corruption during his campaign, ultimately aiding in Grover Cleveland’s victory. He was hired by Judge in 1885 where he had more freedom to draw cartoons reflecting his own Republican ideals, and where he became Director-in-Chief in 1886. He is also the brother of Victor Gillam(1858-1920), another notorious political cartoonist. The themes and events in his cartoons covered in this series are the Republican members of 43rd Congress. Gillam’s work for Puck that is included in the series is “The Great Congressional Tramp Bullying the Old Women of the National Household.”
J.S. Pughe (1870-1909), a Welsh cartoonist who was a regular contributor to Puck magazine. He studied art in New York and began drawing cartoons for the New York Recorder and Brooklyn Life. In 1894 he was hired for Puck and created a large number of cartoons for the magazine until 1908 when he left due to health reasons. The themes and events covered by his cartoons in this series include the 54th Congress, the 1896 presidential election and the gold standard and free silver debate. Pudhe’s cartoons that are featured in the series are “A Few Pleasant Recollections of the Fifty-Fourth Congress,” “ ‘Blowing’ Himself Around the Country,” “The Old Leading Man Retires,” and “Opening of the Democratic Dime Museum for 1900.”
James Albert Wales (1852-1886), an American cartoonist and caricature artist who was a huge part of political cartooning in the United States. He began as a wood engraver then started drawing cartoons for magazines in Chicago and Cleveland. After moving to New York in 1873, he started working for Puck in 1875 where he drew cartoons and caricatures for six years. He left Puck to move abroad and once he returned to New York, he co founded his own magazine, Judge. He returned to Puck in 1885. He was known for his frequent anti-semetic cartoons he drew for both Judge and Puck. Other themes of his that appear in this series are immigration and Jewish communities. Wales’ cartoons included in this series are titled, “Extremes Meet” and “Tut mir leid- hier gibt's keine reservierten sibe (Sorry there are no reserved rooms here).”
Samuel Ehrhart (1862-1937), a lesser known American political cartoonist who worked at numerous magazines. He moved to Munich as a young adult to study art and later returned to New York. He did a large number of works for magazines including Puck, Judge, and Harper’s Monthly. The themes and events covered by his work in this series are social ambition and missionaries. His cartoons included in this series are “The Decay of Home-Life Among the ‘Smart Set’” and “A Cannibalistic Missionary.”
Joseph Keppler(1838-1894), an Austrian cartoonist and illustrator who was also the founder of Puck magazine. He studied art in Vienna and worked painting sets before moving to the United States. He started a German cartoon magazine De Vehme in 1869 and then a year later started another magazine called Frank und Frei. In 1871 he attempted to publish a magazine called Puck which only lasted a year. Some of his work was published in Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper once he moved to New York. In 1876, along with another employee of the newspaper, Adolph Schwarzmann, Keppler brought back Puck. He worked at Puck for the remainder of his life contributing many cartoons. The themes and events that appear in his cartoons in this series are immigration, presidential and congressional elections, political parties, and social issues. The titles of his cartoons in this series are “Rushing the Season,” “Siegfried the Fearless in an Eerie Political Swamp,” and “The ‘Dry Goods’ Store of the Period.”
The artists featured in the series are:
Frederick Burr Opper (1857-1937), an American cartoonist who has been edited as one of the first creators of newspaper comic strips in the United States. He had dropped out of school at a young age to pursue his career as an illustrator. He was hired by Puck in 1880 and worked there for 18 years. Much of his work for the magazine was criticisms of journalists and, more specifically, sensationalism. Many of his cartoons also reflected his negative feelings about trusts. Following his time at Puck Opper illustrated books for authors including Mark Twain as well as publishing his own illustrated books. The themes and events his work contains in this series are voting rights, the election of 1880, the Greenback Party, Tammany Hall, William Evarts’ campaign, immigration, and social issues like pool houses. His cartoons included in the series are, “The Bankrupt Outrage Mill,” “Great Political Excitement in Indiana,” “The Pool Mania,” “Press Rumors About Arthur,” “The Weather Clerk’s Leapfrog,” “The First of May–Tammany Moves Into Its New Quarters,” “The Innocents,” “British Detectives,” “The Great Political Future of the Farmer,” “The Charge of the City Cousins,” “What Has Become of Evarts? –We Suggest a Journalistic Exploring Expedition,” and “The ‘Dry Goods’ Store of the Period.”
Frederich Graetz (1842-1912), an Austrian illustrator who studied art in Germany and worked in Vienna before joining Puck. His work first appeared in the satirical magazine Kikeriki, from 1872 to 1875 in Vienna, which was critical of the Austrian government and supported social change. In 1882 Graetz was hired by Joseph Keppler to create political cartoons for Puck. He left in 1885 since Puck was going to cut his salary. His work for the magazine reflected the Democratic positions on issues that Puck was known for publishing. Graetz illustrated cartoons discussing public health and immigration. He also provided a negative stance towards immigration and Jewish people in his cartoons. The themes and events of his cartoons within this series are the Citizens Party, weather, and children’s issues. His work that is included in this series is “The Citizens Aroused,” “Midsummer Madness,” and “The Children’s Carnival–the Fashionable Slaughter of the Innocents.”
Bernhard Gillam (1856-1896), an English cartoonist who illustrated for many American magazines. He first worked for The New York Graphic, then Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, and Harper’s Weekly. He then became a recurring member of Puck where he illustrated cartoons against James G. Blaine and his corruption during his campaign, ultimately aiding in Grover Cleveland’s victory. He was hired by Judge in 1885 where he had more freedom to draw cartoons reflecting his own Republican ideals, and where he became Director-in-Chief in 1886. He is also the brother of Victor Gillam(1858-1920), another notorious political cartoonist. The themes and events in his cartoons covered in this series are the Republican members of 43rd Congress. Gillam’s work for Puck that is included in the series is “The Great Congressional Tramp Bullying the Old Women of the National Household.”
J.S. Pughe (1870-1909), a Welsh cartoonist who was a regular contributor to Puck magazine. He studied art in New York and began drawing cartoons for the New York Recorder and Brooklyn Life. In 1894 he was hired for Puck and created a large number of cartoons for the magazine until 1908 when he left due to health reasons. The themes and events covered by his cartoons in this series include the 54th Congress, the 1896 presidential election and the gold standard and free silver debate. Pudhe’s cartoons that are featured in the series are “A Few Pleasant Recollections of the Fifty-Fourth Congress,” “ ‘Blowing’ Himself Around the Country,” “The Old Leading Man Retires,” and “Opening of the Democratic Dime Museum for 1900.”
James Albert Wales (1852-1886), an American cartoonist and caricature artist who was a huge part of political cartooning in the United States. He began as a wood engraver then started drawing cartoons for magazines in Chicago and Cleveland. After moving to New York in 1873, he started working for Puck in 1875 where he drew cartoons and caricatures for six years. He left Puck to move abroad and once he returned to New York, he co founded his own magazine, Judge. He returned to Puck in 1885. He was known for his frequent anti-semetic cartoons he drew for both Judge and Puck. Other themes of his that appear in this series are immigration and Jewish communities. Wales’ cartoons included in this series are titled, “Extremes Meet” and “Tut mir leid- hier gibt's keine reservierten sibe (Sorry there are no reserved rooms here).”
Samuel Ehrhart (1862-1937), a lesser known American political cartoonist who worked at numerous magazines. He moved to Munich as a young adult to study art and later returned to New York. He did a large number of works for magazines including Puck, Judge, and Harper’s Monthly. The themes and events covered by his work in this series are social ambition and missionaries. His cartoons included in this series are “The Decay of Home-Life Among the ‘Smart Set’” and “A Cannibalistic Missionary.”
Joseph Keppler(1838-1894), an Austrian cartoonist and illustrator who was also the founder of Puck magazine. He studied art in Vienna and worked painting sets before moving to the United States. He started a German cartoon magazine De Vehme in 1869 and then a year later started another magazine called Frank und Frei. In 1871 he attempted to publish a magazine called Puck which only lasted a year. Some of his work was published in Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper once he moved to New York. In 1876, along with another employee of the newspaper, Adolph Schwarzmann, Keppler brought back Puck. He worked at Puck for the remainder of his life contributing many cartoons. The themes and events that appear in his cartoons in this series are immigration, presidential and congressional elections, political parties, and social issues. The titles of his cartoons in this series are “Rushing the Season,” “Siegfried the Fearless in an Eerie Political Swamp,” and “The ‘Dry Goods’ Store of the Period.”
Series II: Judge Magazine Prints, 1882-1900
Series II: Judge Magazine Prints, 1882-1900, is arranged chronologically by date and contains political cartoons and prints from Judge Magazine from 1882-1900. Judge Magazine was founded by James Albert Wales (1852-1886), Frank Tousey (1853-1902), and George H. Jessop (1852-1915). It ran from 1881 to 1947 and focused on political and social issues during its run time. It contained mostly satirical articles and cartoons, provided from a Republican aligned perspective. Judge got its success from cartoonists who had left Puck, including Wales, one of the founders. Eugene Zimmerman (1862-1935) and Bernhard Gillam (1856-1896) both left Puck in 1885 due to the fact that they would be paid more and they believed they would have more freedom to draw what they wanted to. Judge became a major rival to Puck and even surpassed it in circulation. Many of the cartoons do contain racist stereotypes and some contain drawings of white politicians in black face. The events featured in the series include the presidential elections of 1884 and 1900 as well as the 1888 presidential campaigns. It also features the Chicago World’s Fair/World’s Columbian Exposition and the Spanish-American War. The themes included are social classes, immigration, disease, family roles, and the free silver and gold standard debate. The back sides of the cartoons are included, most feature unrelated cartoons, articles, and advertisements. There are four different artists in this series who each have a few cartoons included and one of which is also featured in the Puck series.
The artists featured in this series include:
Thomas Worth (1834-1917), an American illustrator cartoonist who had originally worked for a well known publishing company, Currier and Ives, drawing lithographs. The company published many political cartoons drawn by Worth. Harper & Bros. publishing company used some of his work for an edition of a Charles Dickens’ novel they were publishing. He also contributed to magazines such as Harper’s Weekly and Judge. His work also appears in many Currier and Ives publications, which he is most known for. He drew many racist stereotypes in his cartoons in both Currier and Ives publications and in his work for Judge. The themes covered by his work in this series are social classes and activities. One of his cartoons is included in this series and is titled, “The Yachting Season.” Peters, Harry Twyford. Currier & Ives, Printmakers to the American People. New York: Arno Press, 1976.
Bernhard Gillam (1856-1896), an English cartoonist who illustrated for many American magazines. He first worked for The New York Graphic, then Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, and Harper’s Weekly. He then became a recurring member of Puck where he illustrated cartoons against James G. Blaine and his corruption during his campaign, ultimately aiding in Grover Cleveland’s victory. He was hired by Judge in 1885 where he had more freedom to draw cartoons reflecting his own Republican ideals, and where he became Director-in-Chief in 1886. He is also the brother of Victor Gillam (1858-1920), another notorious political cartoonist who is also included in this series. The themes and events that appear in his cartoons in this series are the election of 1884 and the 1888 presidential campaigns. His cartoons that appear in this series include, “Grand Opening of Cleveland, Gorman, and Bayards Minstrels at Washington” and “Opening of the Campaign Year-Walkin’ Fur de Cake.” His works that appear in this series both feature white politicians drawn in black face.
Victor Gillam(1858-1920), an English cartoonist and writer who was featured in different American magazines. He worked at Judge for 20 years where his brother, Bernhard Gillam (1856-1896), also worked. Bernhard is often said to be more popular than his brother, but both were highly successful. His work was also published in the St. Louis Dispatch, Denver Times, New York World, and the New York Globe. He also belonged to well known social clubs for writers. The themes and events that are covered by his cartoons in this series are immigration, diseases, the Chicago World’s Fair/World’s Columbian Exposition, and the Spanish-American War. His cartoons in this series include “A Prophetic Picture–The World’s Fair Will be Closed by the Cholera,” “Uncle Sam Welcomes the Whole World to the Greatest Show on Earth,” and “And Coming Events Cast Their Shadows Before.”
Grant E. Hamilton (1862-1926), an American political cartoonist who was also an art editor of many magazines. He had been art editor of both The Graphic and Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper for years. He began working for Judge magazine as art editor for twenty years as well as contributing many political cartoons. He also worked closely alongside Bernhard Gillam. The themes and events of his cartoons that appear in this series are family roles, the free silver and gold standard debate, and the election of 1900. His works that appear in this series include “The Family Cycle,” “The Bogus Faith-Curist and the Dying Jackass,” and “There is Nothing Mean About Judge.”
Bernhard Gillam (1856-1896), an English cartoonist who illustrated for many American magazines. He first worked for The New York Graphic, then Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, and Harper’s Weekly. He then became a recurring member of Puck where he illustrated cartoons against James G. Blaine and his corruption during his campaign, ultimately aiding in Grover Cleveland’s victory. He was hired by Judge in 1885 where he had more freedom to draw cartoons reflecting his own Republican ideals, and where he became Director-in-Chief in 1886. He is also the brother of Victor Gillam (1858-1920), another notorious political cartoonist who is also included in this series. The themes and events that appear in his cartoons in this series are the election of 1884 and the 1888 presidential campaigns. His cartoons that appear in this series include, “Grand Opening of Cleveland, Gorman, and Bayards Minstrels at Washington” and “Opening of the Campaign Year-Walkin’ Fur de Cake.” His works that appear in this series both feature white politicians drawn in black face.
Victor Gillam(1858-1920), an English cartoonist and writer who was featured in different American magazines. He worked at Judge for 20 years where his brother, Bernhard Gillam (1856-1896), also worked. Bernhard is often said to be more popular than his brother, but both were highly successful. His work was also published in the St. Louis Dispatch, Denver Times, New York World, and the New York Globe. He also belonged to well known social clubs for writers. The themes and events that are covered by his cartoons in this series are immigration, diseases, the Chicago World’s Fair/World’s Columbian Exposition, and the Spanish-American War. His cartoons in this series include “A Prophetic Picture–The World’s Fair Will be Closed by the Cholera,” “Uncle Sam Welcomes the Whole World to the Greatest Show on Earth,” and “And Coming Events Cast Their Shadows Before.”
Grant E. Hamilton (1862-1926), an American political cartoonist who was also an art editor of many magazines. He had been art editor of both The Graphic and Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper for years. He began working for Judge magazine as art editor for twenty years as well as contributing many political cartoons. He also worked closely alongside Bernhard Gillam. The themes and events of his cartoons that appear in this series are family roles, the free silver and gold standard debate, and the election of 1900. His works that appear in this series include “The Family Cycle,” “The Bogus Faith-Curist and the Dying Jackass,” and “There is Nothing Mean About Judge.”
Series III: Vanity Fair Magazine Prints, 1869-1931
Series III: Vanity Fair Magazine Prints, 1869-1931, is arranged chronologically by date and is separated further into two distinct subseries: Subseries I: Vanity Fair Magazine (British, 1868-1914), from 1869-1887, and Subseries II: Vanity Fair Magazine (American, 1913-1936) from 1931. The series contains caricatures and portraits from both magazines. The magazines were not associated with each other and had very different run times. Vanity Fair Magazine (British, 1868-1914) had been more focused on fiction, current events, and their well known caricatures, while Vanity Fair Magazine (American, 1913-1936) put a heavier focus on fashion and authors, not necessarily featuring caricatures like the British magazine.
Subseries I: Vanity Fair Magazine (British, 1868-1914), 1869-1887
Vanity Fair Magazine (British, 1868-1914) was a weekly magazine in England that was founded by Thomas Gibson Bowles (1841-1922). It ran from 1868 until 1914 and contained a range of articles including those on fashion, theatre, current events, fiction, and word puzzles. Its main focus was social issues and people of Victorian and Edwardian societies. The magazine was well known for its caricatures of famous people including athletes, statesmen, royalty, authors, military figures, religious figures, and many foreign rulers. They released different collections including their Statesmen, Sovereigns, and Men of the Day collections. The majority of cartoonists and caricaturists that worked for Vanity Fair signed their work with pseudonyms. This sub-series features four artists who have a few different works each within the sub-series.
The artists featured in this sub-series include:
Carlo Pellegrini (1839-1889), an Italian artist who did both paintings and caricatures. He drew caricatures in Italy for a few years when he was younger, then he moved to England where he met Thomas Gibson Bowles (1841-1922). He was employed at Vanity Fair and created the first caricature that appeared in the magazine which contributed heavily to its popularity. He originally signed his work under the name “Singe”, but later changed to “Ape” which he became known for. He was associated with many different famous artists and did portrait work for a brief period of time. He used his caricatures to make fun of people, but most of the time it was lighthearted and people felt honored to be drawn by him. His works in this sub-series include “Statesmen No.19,” “Statesmen No. 59,” “The Tory Bloodhound,” “Journalism,” “Swam the Channel,” “The Poet’s Son,” and “Irish Loyalty.”
James Tissot (1836-1902), a French artist who did a lot of work as a painter and as an illustrator. He painted a large variety of works in both realism and impressionism. He had also fought during the Franco-Prussian War before meeting Thomas Gibson Bowles (1841-1922) and joining Vanity Fair in 1869. He wrote under the pseudonym “Coïdé” during his time at the magazine. He worked on different series for the magazine including his most well known “Sovereigns.” He used this to criticize people in positions of power in a way that was less intense than most political cartoons would later be. His works included in this sub-series are “Sovereigns No. 1,” “Sovereigns No. 5,” and “Men of the Day No. 61.”
Thomas Nast (1840-1902), a German cartoonist and caricature artist who is credited with being the “Father of the American Cartoon.” He had been sent to New York as a young boy and eventually started studying under different artists and attending art school. He worked for Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, though his drawings were not published until he started drawing for Harper’s Weekly in 1859. He briefly worked abroad for The Illustrated London News and Vanity Fair. He returned to New York and worked for Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper and the New York Illustrated News and in 1862 he became a full time staff member for Harper’s Weekly. He was known for influencing public opinion during elections and popularizing political symbols. Nast’s work that appears in this sub-series is “Sovereigns No. 10.”
Leslie Ward (1851-1922), an English painter and caricaturist who came from a family full of artists. He had originally worked towards becoming an architect and drew caricatures of his classmates. He eventually convinced his father to allow him to become an artist and attended school for art. He sent some of his work to Thomas Gibson Bowles (1841-1922) and was hired eventually to replace Carlo Pellegrini (1839-1889). He worked for Vanity Fair for almost forty years drawing both caricatures and portraits. He signed his work with the pseudonym “Spy” and occasionally “Drawl.” . Many considered his caricatures to be too sympathetic and lighthearted, which eventually led to his focus on portraits. His works that are included in this sub-series are “Statesmen No. 150,” “The Pattern Private Secretary,” “Lay Episcopacy,” “The Working-Man Member,” and “Law.”
James Tissot (1836-1902), a French artist who did a lot of work as a painter and as an illustrator. He painted a large variety of works in both realism and impressionism. He had also fought during the Franco-Prussian War before meeting Thomas Gibson Bowles (1841-1922) and joining Vanity Fair in 1869. He wrote under the pseudonym “Coïdé” during his time at the magazine. He worked on different series for the magazine including his most well known “Sovereigns.” He used this to criticize people in positions of power in a way that was less intense than most political cartoons would later be. His works included in this sub-series are “Sovereigns No. 1,” “Sovereigns No. 5,” and “Men of the Day No. 61.”
Thomas Nast (1840-1902), a German cartoonist and caricature artist who is credited with being the “Father of the American Cartoon.” He had been sent to New York as a young boy and eventually started studying under different artists and attending art school. He worked for Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, though his drawings were not published until he started drawing for Harper’s Weekly in 1859. He briefly worked abroad for The Illustrated London News and Vanity Fair. He returned to New York and worked for Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper and the New York Illustrated News and in 1862 he became a full time staff member for Harper’s Weekly. He was known for influencing public opinion during elections and popularizing political symbols. Nast’s work that appears in this sub-series is “Sovereigns No. 10.”
Leslie Ward (1851-1922), an English painter and caricaturist who came from a family full of artists. He had originally worked towards becoming an architect and drew caricatures of his classmates. He eventually convinced his father to allow him to become an artist and attended school for art. He sent some of his work to Thomas Gibson Bowles (1841-1922) and was hired eventually to replace Carlo Pellegrini (1839-1889). He worked for Vanity Fair for almost forty years drawing both caricatures and portraits. He signed his work with the pseudonym “Spy” and occasionally “Drawl.” . Many considered his caricatures to be too sympathetic and lighthearted, which eventually led to his focus on portraits. His works that are included in this sub-series are “Statesmen No. 150,” “The Pattern Private Secretary,” “Lay Episcopacy,” “The Working-Man Member,” and “Law.”
Subseries II: Vanity Fair Magazine (American, 1913-1936), 1931
Vanity Fair Magazine (American, 1913-1936) was an American magazine founded by Condé Nast (1873-1942) who had purchased a fashion magazine and turned it into Vanity Fair. The magazine focused on publishing authors, artists, and articles on fashion and theater. The magazine merged with Vogue in 1936 after losing subscriptions and being unable to maintain financial stability during the Great Depression. This Vanity Fair, however, was revived in 1983 and continues running today. Unlike the British Vanity Fair, this magazine did not necessarily put as much emphasis on satire.
The artist featured in this series is William Henry Cotton (1880-1958). Cotton was an American painter, illustrator, and playwright. He studied art in Boston and Paris and had become a well respected artist. He started working as an illustrator for Vanity Fair in 1931 and later The New Yorker. His work that is included in this sub-series is “An American Tragedian–Theodore Dreiser.”
Series IV: Harper’s Weekly Magazine Prints, 1868-1880
Series IV: Harper’s Weekly Magazine Prints, 1868-1880, is arranged chronologically by date and contains political cartoons and prints from Harper’s Weekly Magazine from 1868-1880. Harper’s Weekly was an American magazine that ran from 1857 to 1916. It featured articles on politics, foreign news, fiction, and its famous satirical cartoons. It was created by Fletcher Harper (1806-1877) and published by Harper & Brothers, a company run by himself and his brothers. The magazine became well known for its political cartoons and was known for having a strong influence on public opinion, especially during elections. The magazine had a Republican aligned perspective on politics and social issues. They became the most read magazine during the Civil War and attempted to show the brutality of slavery in ways that hadn’t necessarily been done before by magazines run by white men. The themes that appear in this series are Reconstruction, plantations, social events, white supremacy groups, Communism, voting laws, financial issues, and Democratic politicians. Most of the illustrations in this series are political cartoons, however some are illustrations to go along with a fictional story, or news article. The back sides of the cartoons are included and many contain information relating to the cartoons, but some are unrelated. There is also a cartoon, “The Tell-Tale” that goes along with a story, but does not include an artist or author. There are four artists included in this series who have done political cartoons or illustrations.
The artists featured in this series are:
William L. Sheppard (1833-1912), an American cartoonist who had originally worked designing tobacco labels. He had studied art in New York, Paris, and London before enlisting during the Civil War. Following the war, he did work as a sculptor and was illustrating books. He eventually started illustrating for Harper’s Weekly and Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper. The themes that appeared in his work in this series are Reconstruction and plantations. His work included in this series is “The First Cotton-Gin.”
Charles G. Bush (1842-1909), an American cartoonist illustrator who has been referred to as one of the original daily newspaper cartoonists. He signed his work as C.G. Bush and appeared in many different magazines and newspapers. He worked for the New York World-Telegram, the New York Herald, the New York World, and Harper’s Weekly. His work in this series is illustrations that refer to an article on a social event. The work that appears in the series is “Grand Ball Given in Honor of President Grant at the Station House.”
Thomas Nast (1840-1902), a German cartoonist and caricature artist who is credited with being the “Father of the American Cartoon.” He had been sent to New York as a young boy and eventually started studying under different artists and attending art school. He worked for Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, though his drawings were not published until he started drawing for Harper’s Weekly in 1859. He briefly worked abroad for The Illustrated London News and Vanity Fair. He returned to New York and worked for Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper and the New York Illustrated News and in 1862 he became a full time staff member for Harper’s Weekly. He was known for influencing public opinion during elections and popularizing political symbols. The themes and events that appear in his cartoons in this series are Reconstruction, white supremacy groups, Communism, voting laws, and financial issues. His works that are included in this series are “Colored Rule in a Reconstructed (?) State,” “Halt!,” “Always Killing the Goose that Lays the Golden Egg,” “The Rough is Ready,” and “A Fable Which is Not All a Fable.”
A.B. Frost (1851-1928), an American illustrator and writer who studied under Thomas Eakins. His career started with book illustrations until he started illustrating for The Daily Graphic. A year later he started working for Harper & Brothers as a publisher, but also started publishing his own work in Harper’s Weekly, Punch, and Scribner’s Magazine. After his time at these magazines he returned to illustrating for books and published his own anthology on painting movement. The theme that appears in his work in this series is Democratic politicians. The work of his included in this series is “The George Washington Jones Family En Route For Paris.”
Charles G. Bush (1842-1909), an American cartoonist illustrator who has been referred to as one of the original daily newspaper cartoonists. He signed his work as C.G. Bush and appeared in many different magazines and newspapers. He worked for the New York World-Telegram, the New York Herald, the New York World, and Harper’s Weekly. His work in this series is illustrations that refer to an article on a social event. The work that appears in the series is “Grand Ball Given in Honor of President Grant at the Station House.”
Thomas Nast (1840-1902), a German cartoonist and caricature artist who is credited with being the “Father of the American Cartoon.” He had been sent to New York as a young boy and eventually started studying under different artists and attending art school. He worked for Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, though his drawings were not published until he started drawing for Harper’s Weekly in 1859. He briefly worked abroad for The Illustrated London News and Vanity Fair. He returned to New York and worked for Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper and the New York Illustrated News and in 1862 he became a full time staff member for Harper’s Weekly. He was known for influencing public opinion during elections and popularizing political symbols. The themes and events that appear in his cartoons in this series are Reconstruction, white supremacy groups, Communism, voting laws, and financial issues. His works that are included in this series are “Colored Rule in a Reconstructed (?) State,” “Halt!,” “Always Killing the Goose that Lays the Golden Egg,” “The Rough is Ready,” and “A Fable Which is Not All a Fable.”
A.B. Frost (1851-1928), an American illustrator and writer who studied under Thomas Eakins. His career started with book illustrations until he started illustrating for The Daily Graphic. A year later he started working for Harper & Brothers as a publisher, but also started publishing his own work in Harper’s Weekly, Punch, and Scribner’s Magazine. After his time at these magazines he returned to illustrating for books and published his own anthology on painting movement. The theme that appears in his work in this series is Democratic politicians. The work of his included in this series is “The George Washington Jones Family En Route For Paris.”
Series V: Other historic magazine prints, 1802-1950
Series V: Other historic magazine prints, is separated into sub-series based on artists or publication: Subseries I: Gil Blas, Subseries II: Les Gens De Paris, Subseries III: Rowlandson, Subseries IV: Tregear’s Black Jokes, and Sub-series V: other prints. Subseries V contains historic magazine prints that could not be further arranged into their own sub-series due to being the only one of its publication or artist. Each subseries is further arranged chronologically by date. Each subseries is from different countries and most have different dates.
Subseries I: Gil Blas, 1893-1896
Subseries I: Gil Blas, 1893-1896 is arranged chronologically by date and contains prints from Gil Blas from 1893-1896. Gil Blas is a French periodical that was a mostly literary publication. It was founded by Augustin-Alexandre Dumont(1801-1884) in 1879 and ran until 1938. It published works by authors and included illustrations that went along with the story. The magazine also included art, literary, and theater criticisms.
The artist featured in this sub-series is Théophile Steinlin (1859-1923). Steinlin was an artist regularly featured in Gil Blas, and frequently illustrated stories and plays for numerous writers. He was born in Switzerland, but studied art and did most of his pieces in France. Steinlen is most famously known for his poster print, La tournée du Chat Noir de Rodolphe Salis (Tour of Rodolphe Salis’ The Black Cat). Steinlin continued the use of a cat motif, alongside other graphic illustrations, to represent the social and political issues during the nineteenth century. While he was illustrating for Gil Blas, he did other political commentary pieces under different pseudonyms for Marxist journals throughout the 1890s. His works included in this sub-series are “Maîtresse d’actuer (Mistress of an Actor),” “Le Retour, par Paul Bourget (Return, by Paul Bourget),” and “La Fille, par Jules Renard (The Girl, by Jules Renard)”
Subseries II: Le Gens De Paris, 1846
Subseries II: Les Gens De Paris, 1846 is arranged chronologically by date and contains prints from a series titled Les Gens De Paris by Paul Gavarni from 1846. The prints were used in a book, The Devil in Paris, which was a satire on life in Paris during the 19th century. During 1845 and 1846, Paris and the rest of France experienced a major financial crisis. The depression and the general corruption led many to revolt.
The artist is Sulpice Guillaume Chevalier (1804-1866) who signed under the pseudonym Paul Gavarni. Gavarni was a French artist from Paris who originally worked in a factory until he began taking drawing classes. He did work mapping until stopped to become a full time artist. He became the director of Les Gens du Monde, and also had some of his illustrations published in other magazines. The themes that appear in his work in this sub-series are financial issues and prostitution. His works included are “Loyal et Vautour” and “Ceintures dorées.”
Subseries III: Rowlandson, 1807-1821
Subseries III: Rowlandson, 1807-1821, is arranged chronologically and contains prints by Thomas Rowlandson (1757-1827) from 1807-1821. One of the illustrations was drawn for a special edition of The Miseries of Human Life by James Beresford. The book was a comedy on different unfavorable encounters people experienced in life in the early 19th Century. Rowlandson did illustrations inspired by the book, which were later included in a new edition two years after the original publication. The other illustration was a piece done by Rowlandson to simply mock society at the time.
The artist Thomas Rowlandson was an English caricaturist and illustrator. As a young boy he was known for drawing caricatures of his teachers and classmates, and as he got older he studied art in London, and later in Paris. Rowlandson began drawing caricatures to make money and while he did do many political satire pieces, most of his work was social satire. He illustrated satirical pieces for books like Beresford’s and later in his life he illustrated medical books. He and some other English satire artists are also credited as being the creators of the John Bull illustration. Rowlandson’s works that appear in this sub-series include “Miseries of the Table” and “Introduction to Courtship.”
Subseries IV: Tregear’s Black Jokes, 1834
Subseries IV: Treagear’s Black Jokes, 1834, is arranged chronologically and contains prints from Treagear’s Black Jokes from 1834. Tregear’s Black Jokes was a cartoon series created by Gabriel Shear Tregear (1802-1841) in 1834 in London. The series was a continuation of a series titled Life in Philadelphia also created by Tregear in 1833. It was in reference to another cartoon collection by Edward Williams Clay (1799-1857) and two cartoons of his appeared in Tregear’s series. Both Life in Philadelphia series mocked Black residents in Philadelphia and popularized racial stereotypes for them. Clay’s collection had been popular in both American and England, so once Tregear published his, he was met with similar support. Tregear’s Black Jokes was created as another edition of the series since the original had been so popular. Tregear’s collections popularized the racist imagery that would become the standard for cartoons. There is one artist featured in the Tregear’s Black Jokes collection, William Summers.
Subseries V: Other prints, 1802-1950
Subseries V: Other prints, 1802-1950, is arranged chronologically by date and contains prints and cartoons from a variety of artists and publications from 1802-1950. The subseries contains 14 different prints and cartoons that could not be categorized any further. There are some prints that did not include an exact date and are listed at the end of the subseries. There are prints from publications and magazines like S.W. Fores, J. Sidebotham, The Illustrated London News, Currier & Ives, The New York Herald, The New Yorker, Truth, and The Sun. The themes that appear in this sub-series are pic-nic societies, plantation owners, the Caribbean, “Jonkanoo,” life in England, military, Reconstruction, the Kansas Exodus, mining, westward expansion, social activities, wealthy women, King George IV’s court, Black firefighters, Tammany Hall, the 1888 election, the 1892 election, and political corruption. Many cartoons in this sub-series include racist and caricatured drawings of Black men and women. Also in this sub-series is a cartoon titled “The Meeting of Doodle and Noodle,” that does not include an artist signature, but has been published by J. Sidebotham and possible illustrators include George Cruikshank(1792-1878), Thomas Howell Jones (active 1823-1848), and Charles Williams (d. 1830).
The artists featured in this sub-series are:
Charles Williams (d. 1830), an English caricature artist and illustrator who was the chief caricaturist for S.W. Fores publishing from 1799-1815. Some of his work is published under the pseudonym “Ansell” and “Argus.” He illustrated for many books and worked alongside George Cruikshank on book illustrations. A theme that is in his cartoon in this sub-series is the pic-nic society. His work that appears in this sub-series is “The New and Elegant St. Giles’s Cage.”
William Elmes (active 1811-1820), an English caricature artist who focused on creating political satires. Some of his work is centered on navies, but he is most known for his cartoons on slavery. Most of his work contains racist caricatures and subjects. He also created caricatures on prints from Thomas Rowlandson and James Gillray. The themes that appear in his work in this sub-series are plantation owners, the Caribbean, and “Jonkanoo.” His work that is included in this sub-series is “Adventures of Johnny Newcome.”
George Cruikshank (1792-1878), a British caricature and illustrator for authors like Charles Dickens. At a young age, he became the apprentice of his father, Isaac Cruikshank (bapt. 1764-1811), who was an already notorious caricature artist. He is also the brother of Isaac Robert Cruikshank (1789-1856). He followed in his father’s footsteps of working on caricatures until his 30s when he started doing book illustrations. During his career he did a numerous number of political satires, many being now labeled as some of the most racist cartoons of his time. He also worked on anti-smoking and alcohol advertisements and posters later in his career. The themes that appear in his cartoon in this sub-series are related to the events in the King’s court during George IV’s reign, especially the Keeper of the Privy Purse . His work included in this sub-series is “Rumping–Kicking and Kissing.”
Isaac Robert Cruikshank (1789-1856), a British cartoonist and illustrator who is credited with being one of the first artists to use speech bubbles in cartoons. Before starting his career in cartoons, he was a part of the Royal Navy, but was left by his captain. A lot of his well known work is collaborations with his brother, George Cruikshank. They illustrated many books together and published books of their works. He is also the son of Isaac Cruikshank. The theme of his work in this sub-series is life in England. His work that appears in this series is “Going to Hobbyfair.”
Jules Joseph Georges Renard(Draner) (1833-1926), a Belgian painter and illustrator who used “Draner,” an anagram of his last name, to sign his work. He worked as a secretary for a while before teaching himself to draw, and then began working on caricatures. He started working for smaller local newspapers drawing caricatures and cartoons. He moved to Paris and began drawing military related caricatures, often drawing himself in different nationalities and military ranks. He started working as an illustrator for Le Charivari, and published works in other satirical magazines. He later worked on costume designs for theaters. The theme that appears in his work in this sub-series is military. The illustration that is included in this sub-series is “États Unis D'Amérique.”
Charles Robinson (1870-1937), a British illustrator, was the son of an illustrator, and had two brothers, Thomas Heath Robinson (1869-1954) and William Heath Robinson (1872-1944), who were also illustrators. He began working as a printer while studying art, but was unable to afford attending art school. He continued studying art in any way he could and started illustrating for books. He mostly illustrated children’s books and fairy tales. Through his career he illustrated a large number of books, produced many paintings, and did some work for magazines such as The Illustrated London News. The themes that appear in his work in this sub-series are Reconstruction, the Kansas Exodus, mining, and westward expansion. His work that is included is “Sketches in the American Far West.”
Thomas Worth (1839-1917), an American illustrator cartoonist who had originally worked for a well known publishing company, Currier and Ives, drawing lithographs. The company published many political cartoons drawn by Worth. Harper & Bros. publishing company used some of his work for an edition of a Charles Dickens’ novel they were publishing. He also contributed to magazines such as Harper’s Weekly and Judge. His work also appears in many Currier and Ives publications, which he is most known for. He drew many racist stereotypes in his cartoons in both Currier and Ives publications and in his work for Judge. The themes covered by his work in this series are social classes and activities. One of his cartoons is included in this series and is titled, “The Yachting Season.” Peters, Harry Twyford. Currier & Ives, Printmakers to the American People. New York: Arno Press, 1976.
Richard F. Outcault (1863-1928), an American cartoonist and is credited with helping popularize the modern comic strip. He went to design school and began doing commercial art early in his career. He did more technical art for some magazines before beginning to contribute satire pieces to Truth, Puck, Judge, and Life. He was hired full time by the New York World where he created one of his well known characters which aided in popularizing comic strips. Later, he worked for other magazines such as the New York Herald, the New York Evening Journal, and the Philadelphia Inquirer. The theme that appears in his work in this sub-series is Black firefighters. His work that is included is “Why the Cottonville Fire Department is Using Cows Now.”
Helen E. Hokinson (1893-1949), an American cartoonist who contributed 68 cover pages for The New Yorker and thousands of cartoons. She studied art in Chicago and started her work doing fashion illustrations for department stores. She began submitting cartoons she drew to different magazines and got hired by The New Yorker. She was known to draw ditsy and wealthy women she called, “My Best Girls.” She and a partner contributed regular cartoons to the Ladies’ Home Journal. After her death, The New Yorker continued publishing cartoons that she had left behind. The theme that appears in her work in this sub-series is her typical wealthy women. Her work that is included is untitled since it is the cover page, but has been titled “Fortune Teller” because of its content.
Charles Amédée de Noé(Cham) (1818-1879), a French caricature artist who signed his work with the pseudonym “Cham.” He attended painting workshops at a young age, but eventually found himself to be more interested in cartoons. He published a book including his illustrations which got him noticed by newspapers. He was hired by Le Charivari and worked there for thirty years. He also wrote comedy and satire plays later in his life. He was known more specifically for the racist way he portrayed Black women in his cartoons. This theme appears in his work in this sub-series as well as his common theme of mocking people’s reactions to their criticisms in Le Charivari. His work that is included in this sub-series is “Actualitiés.”
Sydney B. Griffin (1854-1923), an American cartoonist who had originally been rejected from Puck in 1888. After his rejection, he applied to Judge and was hired to write poems and he also drew a few cartoons. A few years later he was hired by Puck where he continued drawing cartoons. His work also appeared in Truth and the New York World. Many of his cartoons did have a racist theme to them like his cartoon in this sub-series. Other themes include Tammany Hall, the 1888 election, and the 1892 election. His work that is included in this sub-series is “On the Old Trail.”
Oscar Cesare (1883-1948), a Swedish caricature artist, illustrator, and painter who began his career illustrating books. He worked for numerous publications, some of which include the New York World, the New York Sun, Fortune, The New Yorker, and the New York Times. One of his achievements was getting the rare ability to see and draw Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky. He commonly opposed World War I and called out political corruption in his work. The themes that appear in his work in this subs-series are political corruption and the Dominican Republic. His work that is included is “Rewarding a Deserving Democrat.”
William Bruns is a cartoonist who typically drew cartoons of Black people that were racist and caricatured. He had a series of cartoons on “Blackville,” which may have come from the town Blacville, South Carolina which had a large population of freed slaves following the Civil War. There is not much information on William Bruns aside from a few of his works. His work included in this sub-series is “Blackville Aesthetics at Croquet.”
William Summers is a cartoonist who drew all of the illustrations for Treagar’s Black Jokes. There is not much information known about Summers aside from his contributions to the racist and caricaturize collection. The themes and intentions of this cartoon series and his work are racist mockings of Black people in social situations. His works that appear in this sub-series are “The Portrait” and “The Card Party.”
William Elmes (active 1811-1820), an English caricature artist who focused on creating political satires. Some of his work is centered on navies, but he is most known for his cartoons on slavery. Most of his work contains racist caricatures and subjects. He also created caricatures on prints from Thomas Rowlandson and James Gillray. The themes that appear in his work in this sub-series are plantation owners, the Caribbean, and “Jonkanoo.” His work that is included in this sub-series is “Adventures of Johnny Newcome.”
George Cruikshank (1792-1878), a British caricature and illustrator for authors like Charles Dickens. At a young age, he became the apprentice of his father, Isaac Cruikshank (bapt. 1764-1811), who was an already notorious caricature artist. He is also the brother of Isaac Robert Cruikshank (1789-1856). He followed in his father’s footsteps of working on caricatures until his 30s when he started doing book illustrations. During his career he did a numerous number of political satires, many being now labeled as some of the most racist cartoons of his time. He also worked on anti-smoking and alcohol advertisements and posters later in his career. The themes that appear in his cartoon in this sub-series are related to the events in the King’s court during George IV’s reign, especially the Keeper of the Privy Purse . His work included in this sub-series is “Rumping–Kicking and Kissing.”
Isaac Robert Cruikshank (1789-1856), a British cartoonist and illustrator who is credited with being one of the first artists to use speech bubbles in cartoons. Before starting his career in cartoons, he was a part of the Royal Navy, but was left by his captain. A lot of his well known work is collaborations with his brother, George Cruikshank. They illustrated many books together and published books of their works. He is also the son of Isaac Cruikshank. The theme of his work in this sub-series is life in England. His work that appears in this series is “Going to Hobbyfair.”
Jules Joseph Georges Renard(Draner) (1833-1926), a Belgian painter and illustrator who used “Draner,” an anagram of his last name, to sign his work. He worked as a secretary for a while before teaching himself to draw, and then began working on caricatures. He started working for smaller local newspapers drawing caricatures and cartoons. He moved to Paris and began drawing military related caricatures, often drawing himself in different nationalities and military ranks. He started working as an illustrator for Le Charivari, and published works in other satirical magazines. He later worked on costume designs for theaters. The theme that appears in his work in this sub-series is military. The illustration that is included in this sub-series is “États Unis D'Amérique.”
Charles Robinson (1870-1937), a British illustrator, was the son of an illustrator, and had two brothers, Thomas Heath Robinson (1869-1954) and William Heath Robinson (1872-1944), who were also illustrators. He began working as a printer while studying art, but was unable to afford attending art school. He continued studying art in any way he could and started illustrating for books. He mostly illustrated children’s books and fairy tales. Through his career he illustrated a large number of books, produced many paintings, and did some work for magazines such as The Illustrated London News. The themes that appear in his work in this sub-series are Reconstruction, the Kansas Exodus, mining, and westward expansion. His work that is included is “Sketches in the American Far West.”
Thomas Worth (1839-1917), an American illustrator cartoonist who had originally worked for a well known publishing company, Currier and Ives, drawing lithographs. The company published many political cartoons drawn by Worth. Harper & Bros. publishing company used some of his work for an edition of a Charles Dickens’ novel they were publishing. He also contributed to magazines such as Harper’s Weekly and Judge. His work also appears in many Currier and Ives publications, which he is most known for. He drew many racist stereotypes in his cartoons in both Currier and Ives publications and in his work for Judge. The themes covered by his work in this series are social classes and activities. One of his cartoons is included in this series and is titled, “The Yachting Season.” Peters, Harry Twyford. Currier & Ives, Printmakers to the American People. New York: Arno Press, 1976.
Richard F. Outcault (1863-1928), an American cartoonist and is credited with helping popularize the modern comic strip. He went to design school and began doing commercial art early in his career. He did more technical art for some magazines before beginning to contribute satire pieces to Truth, Puck, Judge, and Life. He was hired full time by the New York World where he created one of his well known characters which aided in popularizing comic strips. Later, he worked for other magazines such as the New York Herald, the New York Evening Journal, and the Philadelphia Inquirer. The theme that appears in his work in this sub-series is Black firefighters. His work that is included is “Why the Cottonville Fire Department is Using Cows Now.”
Helen E. Hokinson (1893-1949), an American cartoonist who contributed 68 cover pages for The New Yorker and thousands of cartoons. She studied art in Chicago and started her work doing fashion illustrations for department stores. She began submitting cartoons she drew to different magazines and got hired by The New Yorker. She was known to draw ditsy and wealthy women she called, “My Best Girls.” She and a partner contributed regular cartoons to the Ladies’ Home Journal. After her death, The New Yorker continued publishing cartoons that she had left behind. The theme that appears in her work in this sub-series is her typical wealthy women. Her work that is included is untitled since it is the cover page, but has been titled “Fortune Teller” because of its content.
Charles Amédée de Noé(Cham) (1818-1879), a French caricature artist who signed his work with the pseudonym “Cham.” He attended painting workshops at a young age, but eventually found himself to be more interested in cartoons. He published a book including his illustrations which got him noticed by newspapers. He was hired by Le Charivari and worked there for thirty years. He also wrote comedy and satire plays later in his life. He was known more specifically for the racist way he portrayed Black women in his cartoons. This theme appears in his work in this sub-series as well as his common theme of mocking people’s reactions to their criticisms in Le Charivari. His work that is included in this sub-series is “Actualitiés.”
Sydney B. Griffin (1854-1923), an American cartoonist who had originally been rejected from Puck in 1888. After his rejection, he applied to Judge and was hired to write poems and he also drew a few cartoons. A few years later he was hired by Puck where he continued drawing cartoons. His work also appeared in Truth and the New York World. Many of his cartoons did have a racist theme to them like his cartoon in this sub-series. Other themes include Tammany Hall, the 1888 election, and the 1892 election. His work that is included in this sub-series is “On the Old Trail.”
Oscar Cesare (1883-1948), a Swedish caricature artist, illustrator, and painter who began his career illustrating books. He worked for numerous publications, some of which include the New York World, the New York Sun, Fortune, The New Yorker, and the New York Times. One of his achievements was getting the rare ability to see and draw Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky. He commonly opposed World War I and called out political corruption in his work. The themes that appear in his work in this subs-series are political corruption and the Dominican Republic. His work that is included is “Rewarding a Deserving Democrat.”
William Bruns is a cartoonist who typically drew cartoons of Black people that were racist and caricatured. He had a series of cartoons on “Blackville,” which may have come from the town Blacville, South Carolina which had a large population of freed slaves following the Civil War. There is not much information on William Bruns aside from a few of his works. His work included in this sub-series is “Blackville Aesthetics at Croquet.”
William Summers is a cartoonist who drew all of the illustrations for Treagar’s Black Jokes. There is not much information known about Summers aside from his contributions to the racist and caricaturize collection. The themes and intentions of this cartoon series and his work are racist mockings of Black people in social situations. His works that appear in this sub-series are “The Portrait” and “The Card Party.”
Processed By:
Emma Broda, Archive work-study and intern, Spring 2023-Fall 2023, edited and supervised by Suzanna Calev, archivist, in Spring 2023-Fall 2023.
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Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu