Three Centuries of Comic Art

Honoré Daumier
(French, 1808-1879)
Mars and Venus
from the Ancient History series
Published in Le Charivari, 27 November 1842
Lithograph
(76.44.10)
Gift of Barbara S. Bolling and Deborah S. Booker
in memory of Arthur Mills Stratton

18th Century–Satire
19th Century–Spoofs
20th Century–Subversions

The eighteenth century British artist, John Collet, satirized the changing role of women, the institution of marriage, and the rough-and-tumble of everyday life. The nineteenth century French artist Honoré Daumier called into question the supposed classic ideals of liberty, civic obligation, and sacrifice by substituting for these themes images of indulgence and lust in his Ancient History series. Twentieth century artists Foolbert Sturgeon (a.k.a. Frank Stack), Robert Crumb, Aline Kominsky-Crumb, and Gilbert Shelton poked fun at everything from how we treat our pets to our involvement with the television set. This exhibition challenged cultural assumptions, revealed social contractions, and provoked anxiety while eliciting chuckles to lighten the heart and stimulate the mind.

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