AHT 1200 - History of Political Cartoons

This course will cover the history of the art form of political cartoons, from their beginnings as caricature art in Europe to the maturation of the form and its role in the struggle against tyranny. We will study the elements of a political cartoon, its interpretation and its role in disseminating popular opinion; not only capturing the historic zeitgeist, but helping shape it as well. We will talk about images that have sparked strong reaction (from Daumier’s cartoon of King Louis-Philippe that cost him 6 months in jail; Barry Blitt’s fist-bumping Obamas New Yorker cover;DerStu?rmer’s anti-semitic caricatures; the 2015 shooting murders at the Charlie Hebdo office for its satirical drawings of the prophet Muhammad; and so on). We will explore the women’s movement, the advent of the African American and LGBTQ press in the 20th century, and the contribution of female, minority and queer creators. Through invited cartoonist guests, we will study the creative process behind today’s political cartoons. We will also create our own editorial cartoons, and be tested on knowledge of the history of the form. Credits: 4