In either visual or literary form, a caricature is an exaggerated portrait of a person or group. Caricature is a very old art form, with some examples dating back thousands of years, ranging from Aristophanes’ plays to the editorial pages of the local newspaper. This art form has a long and illustrious history, with notable practitioners ranging from Leonardo Da Vinci to Thomas Nast. Because most political cartoons use caricature, you can probably find an example of it in your neighborhood, especially if you have a newspaper handy.
The word caricature is derived from the Italian caricare, which means “to load or exaggerate,” and it has been used in English since the 1500s, though examples of caricature predate the word’s introduction. A caricature is an exaggerated portrait with a loaded or dual meaning that can become quite complex, especially in the hands of a master, as the Italian root suggests.
One of the characteristics of caricature is the tendency to exaggerate well-known aspects of the subject. Someone famous for having a large nose, for example, may find the size of that nose grossly exaggerated in a caricature. In a caricature, teeth, lips, and ears may be blown out of proportion, resulting in an image that some people find grotesque or unpleasant.
Caricature is frequently used in political cartoons to make a point. During the Edwardian Era, for example, satirical depictions of the wealthy depicted extremely obese people lounging on beds of money, making a satirical and sharp comment about the upper classes. Caricature is a highly effective form of commentary because many people are at least vaguely familiar with the physical appearance of major politicians. People recognize a feature in the drawing and make the connection with the politician, even if they don’t fully understand the details of the issue the caricature is highlighting.
Caricature, like other forms of satire and comic art, is protected law in a number of areas, as are other freedoms of expression. This can cause quite a stir, as when a Danish newspaper published a series of caricatures of the Muslim prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) in 2005, igniting a worldwide outcry among Muslims who found the images offensive. Caricature has also served as a popular platform for racist stereotypes, as evidenced cartoonish depictions of African-Americans published in the United States well into the twentieth century, or images of caricatured Jewish people used in German propaganda campaigns during WWII.