Caricatura and Character

The term "caricature" derives from the Italian caricare, "to load or exaggerate," and was first used in the late 16th century to describe portrait sketches that comically exaggerated an individual's facial and other features. Caricatures celebrated the skill of the artist's hand, emphasizing rapid lines and quick, insightful observation of specific people. Satire is a broader term, encompassing humorous images of social types, not just individuals. In the 18th century, caricatures became popular in Rome, and visitors on the "Grand Tour" eagerly sought caricature drawings from the painter Pier Leone Ghezzi. Many visitors also tried drawing caricatures themselves, and when they returned home, they spread this entertaining new drawing practice throughout Europe, particularly to Britain.

With the introduction of caricature to Britain, the meaning of the word gradually changed. In Italy, caricatures were private portrait drawings created for individual owners. In Britain, professional as well as amateur artists created caricature prints, which circulated to a broader public. By the end of the century, brightly colored caricature prints were prominent in London printshop windows, where all classes of society could laugh at the foibles of society and ridiculousness of politicians. Members of the middle and noble classes avidly collected caricature prints and even borrowed albums of caricatures for a small fee for an evening's entertainment.

By the end of the century, James Gillray's political caricatures were seen as emblematic of British freedom of the press. The title of this exhibition, "Caricatura and Character," is inspired by a print published by William Hogarth in April 1743. Hogarth vehemently disliked the influence of foreign art and foreign artists in Britain and disparaged both the style and content of Italianate caricatura, preferring the term "characters." Rejecting the loosely drawn lines of caricatures, Hogarth worked with elaborate crosshatching and engraving techniques to emphasize the importance of his moral tales. Despite Hogarth's opposition, the appeal of caricature was too strong. The distinction between caricatures of individuals and satirical drawings of social types was lost, and the combination of British printmaking and Italian style produced a new genre of art, which delights us still today.