The History of the Nineteenth Century in Caricature Part 9

If one were to attempt to draw a broad general distinction between French and English caricature throughout the century, it would be along the line of English superiority in the matter of satirizing great events, French superiority in satirizing great men. The English cartoonists triumphed in the art of crowded canvases and effective groupings; the French in seizing upon the salient feature of face or form, and by a grotesque distortion, a malicious quirk, fixing upon their luckless subject a brand of ridicule that refused to be forgotten. Although the fashion of embodying fairly recognizable portraits of prominent statesmen in caricatures became general in England early in the century, for a long time the effect was marred by their lack of facial expression. From situations of all sorts, ranging from high comedy to deadly peril and poignant suffering, the familiar features of British statesmen look forth placid, unconcerned, with the fixed, impersonal stare of puppets in a Punch-and-Judy show. No French artist ever threw away his opportunities in such a foolish, spendthrift manner. Even where the smooth, regular features of some especially characterless face gave little or nothing for a satiric pencil to seize upon, a Daumier or a Gill would manufacture a ludicrous effect through the familiar device of a giant's head on a dwarf's body, or the absurdly distorted reflection of a cylindrical mirror. But by the time hostilities broke out between France and Prussia facial caricature had become an important factor in the British school of satire, as exemplified in the weekly pages of _Punch_.

CHAPTER XXI

THE OUTBREAK OF THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR

[Ill.u.s.tration: Louis Blanc.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Rival Arbiters.

Napoleon and Bismarck at the time of the Austro-Prussian War.

_By Tenniel in Punch._]

This was very natural, because the history of these years was largely a history of individuals. During the years between the close of the Civil War and the outbreak of war between France and Prussia the three dominant figures in European political caricature were the French Emperor, Prince Bismarck, and Benjamin Disraeli. Since 1848, Louis Napoleon had been the most widely caricatured man in Europe; and the outcome of the War of 1866 had raised Bismarck, as the pilot of the Prussian ship of state, to an importance second only to Napoleon himself. The caricature of which Disraeli was the subject was necessarily much narrower in its scope, and confined to a great extent to England. It was not until the century's eighth decade that he received full recognition at the hands of the Continental caricaturists, and his prominence in the cartoons preceding the Franco-Prussian War was due to the prestige of _Punch_, and to the opportunity which his own peculiar personality and striking appearance offered to the caricaturists. It was not long after the fall of Richmond and the end of the war that the agitation over the claims of the United States against England on account of the damage done by the warship _Alabama_, a question which was not settled until a number of years later, began. The two powers for a time could not agree on any scheme of arbitration, and the condition of affairs in the autumn of 1865 was summed up by Tenniel in _Punch_, in a cartoon ent.i.tled "The Disputed Account," in which the United States and England are represented as two haggling women and Madame Britannia is haughtily saying: "Claim for damages against me? Nonsense, Columbia! Don't be mean over money matters." But England, as well as America, had other matters besides the _Alabama_ claims to disturb her and to keep busy the pencils of her cartoonists. Besides purely political issues at home, there were the Jamaica troubles and Fenianism: and the French Emperor was very urgent that stronger extradition treaties should be established between the two countries. This last issue was cleverly hit off by _Punch_ in a cartoon which pictures Britannia showing Napoleon the Third a portrait of himself as he appeared in 1848 and saying: "That, Sire, is the portrait of a gentleman whom I should have had to give up to the French Government had I always translated 'extradition' as your Majesty's lawyers now wish." The agitation over the Jamaica troubles died out, the threatened Fenian invasion of Canada came to nothing, Louis Napoleon withdrew the French troops from Mexico, and the eyes of Europe were directed toward the war cloud hovering over Prussia and Austria. Early in June, 1866, there was a cessation of diplomatic relations between the two countries, followed immediately by a declaration of war on the part of Prussia, whose armies straightway entered Saxony and Hanover. The att.i.tude of England and France toward the belligerents was the subject of _Punch's_ cartoon that week. It was called "Honesty and Policy," and shows Britannia and Napoleon discussing the situation, while in the background the Prussian King and the Austrian Emperor are shaking their fists in each other's faces. Britannia confides regretfully to Napoleon: "Well, I've done my best. If they must smash each other, they must." And the French Emperor says in a gleeful aside: "And someone may pick up the pieces!" The same figure of speech is further developed in a later cartoon which appeared in August, during the negotiations for peace. Napoleon III., in the guise of a ragpicker, is being warned off the Konigstra.s.se by Bismarck: "Pardon, mon ami, but we really can't allow you to pick up anything here;" and "Nap. the Chiffonnier" rejoins: "Pray, don't mention it, M'sieu! It's not of the slightest consequence."

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Man who Laughs.

_By Andre Gill._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Man who Thinks.

_By Andre Gill._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: "To be or not to be."

_By Gill._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Achilles in Retreat.

_By Gill._]

After the battle of Sadowa, Austria accepted readily the offer of the French Emperor to bring about a suspension of hostilities, the Emperor of Austria agreeing to cede Venetia, which was handed over to France, as a preliminary to its cession to Italy. Tenniel pictured this event in a cartoon showing Napoleon acting as the temporary keeper of the Lion of St. Mark's. Bismarck was now becoming a conspicuous figure in European politics, and his rivalry to Napoleon is shown in a _Punch_ cartoon ent.i.tled "Rival Arbiters," which appeared about this time.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The President of Rhodes.

_By Daumier._]

The growing spirit of discontent in France during the year or two immediately preceding the Franco-Prussian War was made the subject of some excellent _Punch_ cartoons. One of these, called "Easing the Curb," appeared in July, 1869. The imperial rule was gradually becoming unpopular, and the opposition gaining in strength and boldness. The Emperor found it prudent to announce that it was his intention to grant to the French Chamber a considerable extension of power. In "Easing the Curb," _Punch_ depicts France as a horse drawing the imperial carriage. Within are the Empress and the Prince Imperial, evidently greatly alarmed. Napoleon is standing at the horse's head, calling out: "Have no fear, my dears. I shall just drop ze curb a leetel." In another cartoon a few months later, Napoleon the Third is shown wearing the crown of King John, and surrounded by a group of persistent barons, signing a magna charta for France.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A Tempest in a Gla.s.s of Water.

_By Gill._]

In the pages of _Punch_ from July, 1870, until the spring of 1871, one may follow very closely the history of the Franco-Prussian War and of the Commune. The first of the cartoons on this subject, published just before the declaration of war, is ent.i.tled "A Duel to the Death." In it the King of Prussia and the French Emperor are shown as duellists, sword in hand, while Britannia is endeavoring to act as mediator.

"Pray stand back, madam," says Napoleon. "You mean well, but this is an old family quarrel and we must fight it out." _Punch_ seemed to have an early premonition of what the result of the war would be, for, before any decisive battle had been fought, it published a striking cartoon ent.i.tled "A Vision on the Way," representing the shade of the great Napoleon confronting the Emperor and his son on the warpath, and bidding them "Beware!" The departure of the Prince Imperial to the front is made the subject of a very pretty and pathetic cartoon called "Two Mothers." It shows the Empress bidding farewell to her son, while France, as another weeping mother, is saying: "Ah, madam, a sure happiness for _you_, sooner or later; but there were dear sons of _mine_ whom I shall never see again."

[Ill.u.s.tration: A Duel to the Death.

_By Tenniel in "Punch."_]

CHAPTER XXII

THE DeBaCLE

[Ill.u.s.tration: France, September 4, 1870.

"Aux armes, citoyens, Formez vos bataillons."]

After the unimportant engagement at Saarbruck disaster began falling thick and fast on the French arms, and soon we find _Punch_ taking up again the idea of the two monarchs as rival duelists. By this time the duel has been decided. Louis Napoleon, sorely wounded and with broken sword, is leaning against a tree. "You have fought gallantly, sir,"

says the King. "May I not hear you say you have had enough?" To which the Emperor replies: "I have been deceived about my strength. I have no choice." With Sedan, the downfall of the Empire, and the establishment of the Republic, France ceased to be typified under the form of Louis Napoleon. Henceforth she became an angry, blazing-eyed woman, calling upon her sons to rise and repel the advance of the invader. The cartoon in _Punch_ commemorating September 4, 1870, when the Emperor was formally deposed and a Provisional Government of National Defense established under the Presidency of General Trochu, with Gambetta, Favre, and Jules Ferry among its leading members, shows her standing erect by the side of a cannon, the imperial insignia trampled beneath her feet, waving aloft the flag of the Republic, and shouting from the "Ma.r.s.eillaise":

"Aux armes, citoyens, Formez vos bataillons!"

[Ill.u.s.tration: Her Baptism of Fire.

_By Tenniel in "Punch."_]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Andre Gill.]

The announcement that the German royal headquarters was to be removed to Versailles, and that the palace of Louis XIV. was to shelter the Prussian King surrounded by his conquering armies, drew from Tenniel the cartoon in which he showed the German monarch seated at his table in the palace studying the map of Paris, while in the background are the ghosts of Louis XIV. and the great Napoleon. The ghost of the Grand Monarque is asking sadly: "Is this the end of 'all the glories'?" The sufferings of Paris during the siege are summed up in a cartoon ent.i.tled "Germany's Ally," in which the figure of Famine is laying its cold, gaunt hand on the head of the unhappy woman typifying the stricken city. The beginning of the bombardment was commemorated in a cartoon ent.i.tled "Her Baptism of Fire," showing the grim and b.l.o.o.d.y results of the falling of the first sh.e.l.ls. The whole tone of _Punch_ after the downfall of the Emperor shows a growing sympathy on the part of the English people toward France, and the feeling in England that Germany, guided by the iron hand of Bismarck, was exacting a cruel and unjust penalty entirely out of proportion. This belief that the terms demanded by the Germans were harsh and excessive is shown in the _Punch_ cartoon "Excessive Bail," where justice, after listening to Bismarck's argument, says that she cannot "sanction a demand for exorbitant securities."

[Ill.u.s.tration: Le Marquis aux Talons Rouges.

_By Willette._

The Marquis de Galliffet will be remembered as the French Minister of War during the second Dreyfus trial. It was Willette's famous cartoon of Queen Victoria which stirred up so much ill feeling during the Boer War.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: The History of a Reign.

_By Daumier in "Charivari."_]

[Ill.u.s.tration: "This has killed That."

_By Daumier in "Charivari."_]

French caricature during "the terrible year" which saw Gravelotte, Sedan, and the downfall of the Empire was necessarily somber and utterly lacking in French gayety. It was not until the tragic days of the Siege and the Commune that the former strict censorship of the French press was relaxed, and the floodgates were suddenly opened for a veritable inundation of cartoons. M. Armand Dayot, in his admirable pictorial history of this epoch, which has already been frequently cited in the present volume, says in this connection: "It has been said with infinite justice that when art is absent from caricature nothing remains but vulgarity." In proof of this, one needs only to glance through the alb.u.ms containing the countless cartoons that appeared during the Siege, and more especially during the Commune.

Aside from those signed by Daumier, Cham, Andre Gill, and a few other less famous artists, they are unclean compositions, without design or wit, odious in color, the gross stupidity of their legends rivaling their lamentable poverty of execution. But under the leadership of Daumier, the small group of artists who infused their genius into the weekly pages of _Charivari_, made these tragic months one of the famous periods in the annals of French caricature. Of the earlier generation, the irrepressible group whose mordant irony had hastened the down fall of Louis Philippe, Daumier alone survived to chronicle by his pencil the disasters which befell France, with a talent as great as he had possessed thirty-odd years before, when engaged in his light-hearted and malicious campaign against the august person of Louis Philippe. Then there were the ill.u.s.trious "Cham" (Comte de Noe), and Andre Gill (a caricaturist of striking wit), Hadol, De Bertall, De Pilopel, Faustin, Draner, and a number of others not so well known.

But, above all, it was Daumier who, after twenty years of the Empire, during which his pencil had been politically idle, returned in his old age to the fray with all the vigor of the best days of _La Caricature_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Mouse-Trap and its Victims.