political cartoon

Table of Contents

Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images

political cartoon: William Pitt, the Younger

U.S.–German conflict over naval rights in Samoa

Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) and Meat Inspection Act (1906)

Discover

Prisoners of Buchenwald concentration camp, near Weimar, Germany, April 16, 1945, liberated by American troops of the 80th Division. Elie Wiesel (7th from the left on the middle bunk next to the vertical post) World War II Holocaust

What Is the Origin of the Term Holocaust?

Amelia Earhart sitting in the cockpit of an Electra airplane.

The Disappearance of Amelia Earhart

Illustration for Demystified "Spontaneous human combustion".

Is Spontaneous Human Combustion Real?

How Did Alexander the Great Really Die?

African Americans demonstrating for voting rights in front of the White House as police and others watch, March 12, 1965. One sign reads, "We demand the right to vote everywhere." Voting Rights Act, civil rights.

Timeline of the American Civil Rights Movement

Flags That Look Alike

Adolf Hitler (Nazi, nazism, German leader).

9 Things You Might Not Know About Adolf Hitler

Arts & Culture

political cartoon

Also known as: editorial cartoon

Written by Thomas Knieper

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

political cartoon: Theodore Roosevelt

See all media

Category: Arts & Culture

Key People:: Honoré Daumier; Ralph Steadman; Garry Trudeau; John T. McCutcheon; Thomas Nast

Related Topics:: cartoon; Editorial Cartooning; cartoon

See all related content →

political cartoon, a drawing (often including caricature) made for the purpose of conveying editorial commentary on politics, politicians, and current events. Such cartoons play a role in the political discourse of a society that provides for freedom of speech and of the press. They are a primarily opinion-oriented medium and can generally be found on the editorial pages of newspapers and other journalistic outlets, whether in print or electronic form. Their subject matter is usually that of current and newsworthy political issues, and, in order for them to be understood, they require that readers possess some basic background knowledge about their subject matter, ideally that provided by the medium in which they are published.

A political cartoon is also an artistic vehicle characterized by both metaphorical and satirical language. It may point out the contexts, problems, and discrepancies of a political situation. Although a drawing reflects a cartoonist’s judgment and point of view and the visual commentary often exaggerates circumstances, responsible editorial standards do not allow the artist to alter facts. During the process of rendering opinions into such a visual form, many artistic decisions (regarding symbols, allegories, techniques, composition, and so forth) must be made. While doing so, the cartoonist must keep in mind whether the audience will be able to understand the editorial cartoon. When successful, political cartoons can fulfill an important criticizing and controlling function in society. In addition, political cartoons can encourage the process of opinion formation and decision making as well as provide entertaining perspectives on the news.

Thomas Knieper

Jay Norwood Darling

Table of Contents

Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images

Jay Norwood Darling

American political cartoonist

Also known as: Ding Darling

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Jay Norwood Darling

See all media

Category: Arts & Culture

Byname:: Ding Darling

Born:: October 21, 1876, Norwood, Michigan, U.S.

Died:: February 12, 1962, Des Moines, Iowa (aged 85)

Awards And Honors:: Pulitzer Prize

See all related content →

Jay Norwood Darling (born October 21, 1876, Norwood, Michigan, U.S.—died February 12, 1962, Des Moines, Iowa) American political cartoonist who in his long career commented on a wide range of issues and twice received a Pulitzer Prize.

Darling began drawing cartoons at an early age. While at Beloit (Wisconsin) College, he was suspended for a year for drawing the faculty as a line of ballerinas, but he graduated in 1900. He joined the staff of a Sioux City (Iowa) newspaper and, after sketching a courtroom scene, was given the assignment of drawing a daily cartoon.

In 1906 he became the cartoonist for the Des Moines Register, an association that continued, except for a two-year stint with the New York Globe, until he retired in 1949. Beginning in 1917 his cartoons were distributed by the New York Tribune and its syndicate. His cartoons on the deaths of William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody and of Pres. Theodore Roosevelt (in 1917 and 1919, respectively) were particularly notable. After World War I his work stressed the League of Nations as a hope for world peace. He won his first Pulitzer Prize in 1924 and his second in 1943. Darling was also a vigorous conservationist who served as chief of the U.S. Biological Survey (1934–35) and first president (1936) of the National Wildlife Federation.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.