Towards a Global History of the Political Cartoon: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

When, in the late 1960s, Erwin D. Swann (1906-1973) set himself the task of assembling a representative collection of original American cartoon art, he quickly discovered that his focus was too narrow to be satisfactory. He therefore decided in mid-to-late 1967 to enlarge the scope of his plans, and "... cover the whole history of the field. This means French, English, German, Italian, etc. among the Europeans. Later, I think it will probably be necessary to include even Iron Curtain countries. I seem to remember that Czechoslovakia particularly had some important cartoonists. Certainly a magazine like "Krokodil" in the Soviet Union employed many fine artists, both before and after tbe' Revolution. South America and Mexico will also be included" (Letter to Cedric Rogers, Oct. 31, 1967, container 15: 3). The art of the cartoon, he recognized, was not simply a phenomenon of the North American continent, but "one of the most important universal folk expressions" (Letter to Cedric Rogers, Oct. 31, 1967), embracing the globe with its fascination. A long-time art collector, Swann was concerned that the cartoon had not been recognized as a major art form, and set about changing that state of affairs with an almost incredible amount of energy and financial commitment, despite the acknowledged "enormity of the concept" (Letter to J. G. McMullan, n.d., container 15: 2). The fruits of his labor now rest in the Caroline and Erwin Swann Collection of Caricature and Cartoon in the Prints and Photographs Division of the Library of Congress, and have been used by countless scholars over the decades since it was first donated in 1974 (Keech, 2008). Yet, Swann's desire for a complete and global appreciation of the cartoon as an art form remains unfulfilled. In what follows, therefore, I seek to explore how Swann's goal might be achieved by a sympathetic scholar, investigating the challenges and opportunities such a study might encounter. These include methodological and theoretical considerations, as well as the practical considerations of how best to disseminate the findings of a global history of the political cartoon in particular (although Swann was also interested in gag and other cartoon art). It is hoped that these observations will act as something of a guide for future research, and provide new direction in a rapidly-expanding field of inquiry.