Catalogue information

LastDodo number
6067835
Area
Drawings / paintings
Title
Coming down from their pedestals
Art object
Art Movement / style
Technique used
Colouring
Dimensions
20.5 cm x 15 cm
Series / hero
Collection / set
Number
Addition to number
Year
1893
Language
Details
Original political cartoon, watercolour on card from ‘Cartoons Social and Political’, 1893, shows the three muses of ‘literature’, ‘art’ and ‘drama’ coming down from their pedestals and kneeling before ‘demos’, or the common people. Electoral reform in the UK during the 19th century meant that by the mid-1880s two out of three men had the vote and the growing middle classes and even the working classes in the new industrial conurbations demanded their own kind of entertainment: here they are being offered the ‘latest novel’, the ‘comic press’, ‘illustrated advertisement’ and ‘burlesque ballet’, so a shift away from high culture to a more popular culture. It appears that the cartoonist does not necessarily approve. While to the modern eye this cartoon does not seem particularly offensive, the Cynicus cartoons in general were described by contemporary critics as having ‘savage force’ and of being too scathing compared to for instance cartoons from Punch and similar publications. Framed and mounted for an overall size of 37.5 cm x 30 cm, image size 20.5 cm x 15 cm, signed lower right and stamped ‘hand painted - copyright’ lower left. A small closed tear in the border upper centre and two small closed tears lower left in the border and also extending slightly into the image. Some spotting but in overall good condition.