Ahmadinejad Caricatures

[Ahmadinejad]

Kim jung Un

[http://gillesmorand.blogspot.com/]

Nicolas SARKOZY

[http://gillesmorand.blogspot.com/]

Mahmud AHMADINEJAD

compilation of presidential caricature's drawn by Mike Barnett

Sarah Palin caricature by Steven Brodner

This Sarah Palin caricature by Steven Brodner, featured in the New Yorker is a great rendition of Palins most damaging qualities. This devious portative captures many of 

her eminent features from the during election like the what I think we now call Palin hair cut, the Republican red jacket, Miss America smile and signature pointed glasses. This comic also points out the other aspects of her life, which the media used to annihilate her as a running mate to McCain.  

   Looking at the caricature we can see the screens behind her with different scenes depicting Palin. The top right screens show her with crossed arms representing her defensive hostility toward the war, democrats and her passionate love for hunting rifles. Late night show host David lettermen ads, “ Sarah Palin is an avid hunter. A vice president who like guns—Well, what could go wrong there?” The other screens show Palin doing other things making fun of her as a small town governor by showing her as a country hick riding a moose, hunting. The screen is of her catching a big fish, which was“ that big” also noting on her experience hunting and fishing and lack in dealing with real maters while governing.

            Although Palin could have been the running star of the campaign being a possibility for the first women vice president the power of comic utterance like this became her Achilles' heel. Like the incriminating pear to King Philippe the permanent effects of these jokes stuck to her even if they were false.

            Interestingly enough I find that making fun of leading figures like presidents and political figures has almost become an American past time. With Late night shows doing nightly “moments in presidential speeches” for Bush and constant ridicule for celebrities and big figures it is strange to think that once back when this kind of humor began that it was the slaves, injured, crippled and poor who were the subjects of laughter when today such humor would be considered rude, racist and intolerable. My question is how and has there ever been a political figure that has risen above their own comical ridicule?

The caricature is of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

The caricature is of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The artist has transformed the image of Ahmadinejad into that of a mouse. Gombrich states that "the real aim of the true caricaturist is to transform the whole man into a completely new and ridiculous figure which nevertheless resembles the original in a striking and surprising way." In this caricature, the artist first draws their depiction of the Iranian president, as seen in real life. Next to that is the transformed caricature, which a viewer responds to through laughter. The drawing of the president does not use any of the same features used in the first drawing, in fact the image is more closely a depiction of a mouse. Yet, by using the same hair style, including facial hair, we immediately recognize the mouse as the Iranian president. What interests me about this caricature is how well it relates to the quote by Annibale Carracci. Carracci states, "Is not the caricaturist's task exactly the same as the classical artist's? Both see the lasting truth beneath the surface of mere outward appearance. Both try to help nature accomplish its plan. The one may strive to visualize the perfect form and to realize it in his work, the other to grasp the perfect deformity, and thus reveal the very essence of a personality. A good caricature, like every work of art, is more true to life than reality itself." In this case, the artist gives their description of how they interpret the personality of Ahmadinejad. It is clear that they believe the president has rat-like intentions, he is seen as a rodent, and to some a disgusting and evil person.

Dan Panosian

[http://yaboybigsam.blogspot.com/]