A university cartoon archive offers a treasure trove of topical British wit and satire.
Founded in 1973, Kent University’s Centre for the Study of Cartoons and Caricature, is a “research centre and picture library, based upon a unique archive of over 85,000 pieces of cartoon artwork supported by a reference library of newspaper cuttings, books, catalogues, and AV materials.” They fail to mention how much fun it is. Nor do they shout loudly enough about their online database of cartoon artwork, the contents of which range from the work of Hogarth to that of Steve Bell and beyond.
Recent political history is especially well-represented: since 1996, the Centre’s archivists have been dilligently clipping and scanning the daily papers into their system.
The collection doesn’t purchase art, growing rather via donation and bequest. This leaves some gaps, notably original works by James Gillray, whose influence looms large over modern British caricature. Nonetheless, a fine and lovingly-maintained resource.
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