Caricatures can be insulting or flattering and can serve a political point or be drawn solely for entertainment. Caricatures of politicians are frequently used in editorial cartoons, whilst caricatures of movie stars are often found in entertainment magazines. The term is derived from the Italian caricare- to charge or load. So, the word “caricature” essentially says a “loaded portrait”. Strictly speaking , the term refers just to depictions of real-life people, and not to cartoon fabrications of fictional characters.

However the world-renowned animator Walt Disney claimed that animation work could be compared with caricature, saying the most difficult thing to do was find the caricature of an animal that worked best as a human-like character. One of the earliest instances of a caricature has been uncovered in the ruins of Pompeii where a graffiti caricature of a politician had been carved on a wall. Moving forward nearly 1500 years but remaining in Italy, Leonardo da Vinci was an dynamic exponent of the art.

The point of a caricature was to offer an impression of the original which was more striking than a portrait. Diodemmar Casem, one of the best early exponents, claimed to be able to sum up a person in ” three or four strokes of the pen”. Caricature underwent its first successes in the closed aristocratic circles of France and Italy, where such portraits would be passed about for mutual enjoyment.

For as long as man has been able to paint and draw, funny pictures and cartoons have been depicted on caves walls, canvas, paper, floors, ceilings and even skin!

Many award-winning artists have drawn and painted comical and funny pictures not to mention such legendary historical figures as Raphael and Leonardo De Vinci whose comical works are highly regarded.

In the 15th-century the printing press was popularised by Johann Gutenberg and later this invention gave rise to the ability to replicate satirical images for widespread distribution to the masses. In the 16th-century humorous cartoon strips gave politicians the ability to reach illiterate people to further their cause and win precious votes. They were also a powerful tool of propaganda and party policy.

Contrary to the famous Queen Victoria saying, “We are not amused” the Victorians were actually very easily titillated and throughout the 19th century funny pictures were depicted on Victorian postcards in various formats from slapstick scenes to the more innuendo orientated themes

In the 1890′s the invention of Thomas Edison’s Kinetoscope heralded the age of animation screening rudimentary projection technology. Many people of the time saw the enormous potential this novel invention would provide.

The name Disney is synonymous with animation and in 1928 we saw the birth of Mickey Mouse who is still today one of the most iconic and recognised symbols in the world. In the 1950′s the United States also saw another company emerge, Hanna-Barbera Productions which went on to produce many classic cartoons, Scooby Doo, The Flintstones and The Yogi Bear show to name just a few.

Technology has come a long way and from early cartoons in comics and funny pictures on postcards and newspapers we are now treated to high spec digital animation with films like Toy Story and Finding Nemo.