Cartoons and Their Influence

During today’s archive session and subsequent discussion, I couldn’t help but think back to a tweet I’d seen a little under a week ago. It’s inserted below. As you’ll see, this particular user seems to think certain roots of the Dada and Surrealist movements can be traced back to the creative, bizarre methods of commentary used by 19th century cartoonists. I’ll admit that my grasp on the ins and outs of either movement is tenuous at best, but what little experience I have had with viewing works in these traditions tells me that perhaps this user isn’t entirely off base with this observation.

(http://bit.ly/1PJFU7A) [from left to right: “The Buck Chase of 1856” by John L. Magee (1856), “The Devilfish in Unknown Waters” by an unknown author (1882), “Interborough Rattled Transit” by an unknown author (1905), “Can’t seem to find any info on this last one” by Sorry, Wish I Knew (?)]

This user is making, I think, a concise argument for the viability of cartoons and comics as art objects, or objects that deserve the same sort of consideration typically reserved for pieces of high art, and he’s doing it by making the claim that cartoonists were tapping into strands of creative thought that denizens of high art wouldn’t tap into for another couple of decades. I don’t think I know enough to agree or disagree with this argument, but it’s fascinating to think that these comics can serve as bearers of historical context on social, political and racial issues while simultaneously serving as vehicles of (alleged) artistic influence.