Cartoon Collection (#100)

Reprisals, 1888. The top-hatted gentleman has hit upon the perfect revenge for the disturbance he suffers from the neighbours noisy children. From Punch, or the London Charivari, August 16, 1888

A Cold Reception and A Warm Welcome, 1876. Artist: Joseph Swain
A Cold Reception and A Warm Welcome, 1876. In the lefthand cartoon, the Queen of the Arctic is perched on top of the snowy peaks of the Arctic

Friends or Foes?, 1876. Artist: Joseph Swain
Friends or Foes?, 1876. The British Lion, travelling, meets the Russian Bear, who is armed, at the crossroads. This relates to the recent conflict between Turkey and Bulgaria

Athletes and Animals, 1876. Artist: Montagu Blatchford
Athletes and Animals, 1876. Mr Punch, clad in a striped jersey, kicks a football in one of the earliest images of the sport in the journal. From Punch, or the London Charivari, December 2, 1876

A Lively Look-Out for Jones, 1876. Artist: George du Maurier
A Lively Look-Out for Jones, 1876. Captain Jones is about to acquire every mans nightmare of a mother-in-law. From Punch, or the London Charivari, October 21, 1876

Empress and Earl, 1876. Artist: Joseph Swain
Empress and Earl, 1876. The Conservative Prime Minister, Disraeli, accepts the title of Earl of Beaconsfield from Her Majesty, Queen Victoria

Patent First-Class Costume for the Collision Season, 1876. Artist: Charles Samuel Keene
Patent First-Class Costume for the Collision Season, 1876. Travel by train was a risky business in the 1870s and collisions were not uncommon

Left Luggage, 1876. Artist: Joseph Swain
Left Luggage, 1876. Disraeli, the Conservative Prime Minister, stands with all his luggage on a railway platform. As the current session of parliament came to an end for the Summer Recess

Keeping the Ring, 1876. Artist: Joseph Swain
Keeping the Ring, 1876. Turkey, brandishing a sword, is beset on all sides by the dogs of war, Servia, Montenegro, Herzegovina and Bosnia

The Sphinx is silent, 1876. Artist: Joseph Swain
The Sphinx is silent, 1876. The Conservative Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, is here depicted as a great Sphinx, whilst, below him

Scinece and Stupidity, 1876. Artist: Joseph Swain
Scinece and Stupidity, 1876. The policeman, clutching his Vivisection Bill, tries to move on the group of medical professors using a microscope to look at the results of their latest work

Counting Her Chicks, 1876. Artist: Joseph Swain
Counting Her Chicks, 1876. Britannia tries to console G Ward Hunt, the First Lord of the Admiralty, as he worries about his fleet at Besika Bay

A Voice from the Clouds, 1875. Artist: Joseph Swain
A Voice from the Clouds, 1875. John Bull, the representative of the British people, stands up to his thighs in flood water, surrounded by the wreckage of household furniture

Disinterested Advisers, 1875. Artist: Joseph Swain
Disinterested Advisers, 1875. Turkey is surrounded by Disinterested Advisers in the shape of the Russian Bear and the Eagles representing Austria and Germany

Neptunes Warning, 1875. Artist: Joseph Swain
Neptunes Warning, 1875. Neptune sits on a small raft, with Britannia held safely on his knee. Recently, two of the new iron-clad men of war ships

The Golden Wedding, 1875. Artist: Joseph Swain
The Golden Wedding, 1875. Iron, represented by Vulcan, and steam, represented by Vapour, are congratulated by Mr Punch on their 50 harmonious years

In Propria Persona, 1875. Artist: Charles Samuel Keene
In Propria Persona, (1875?). Two young medical students debate the merits of vivisection. From Punch, or the London Charivari, September 25, 1875

Whos to Blame?, 1875. Artist: Joseph Swain
Whos to Blame?, 1875. Vulcan makes no excuse to Britannia as she shows him the bill for the loss of the iron-clad man-of-war vessel that sank after a collision off the coast of Ireland

Approaching Dissolution, 1875. Artist: Joseph Swain
Approaching Dissolution, 1875. Mrs Disraeli on the right runs a Baby Farm. Huddled in the corner behind her are all the Baby Bills

Loss and Gain, 1875. Artist: Joseph Swain
Loss and Gain, 1875. John Bull, the representative of the British people, stands with Mr Punch on the coast of Ireland and looks into the gloom

Tout Vient A Qui Sait Attendre, 1875. Artist: Charles Samuel Keene
Tout Vient A Qui Sait Attendre, 1875. Frightened passengers in the first-class compartment call to the guard, asking why the train has had to come to such a sudden halt

Waiting to be Won, 1875. Artist: Joseph Swain
Waiting to be Won, 1875. The Queen of the Arctic is perched on an iceberg with two polar bears at her feet. This relates to the New Arctic Expedition at the start of which two ships

O, Lovely Peace, 1875. Artist: Joseph Swain
O, Lovely Peace, 1875. Bismarck plays a penny whistle and the Russian Bear dances. The German Emperor dances along happily

Cremation, 1875. Artist: Joseph Swain
Cremation, 1875. A young man is dismayed to find his uncle helping himself to some snuff that he found in an urn on the mantelpiece of his nephews lodgings

A Red Study, 1875. Artist: Joseph Swain
A Red Study, 1875. This cartoon shows Dr Henry Edward Manning gazing into the fire. Manning had in fact been one of the leaders of the Oxford Movement, but converted to Roman Catholicism in 1851

Deserted !, 1875. Artist: Joseph Swain
Deserted !, 1875. Mr Disraeli, the Conservative Prime Minister, stands on the right with his Lord Chancellor, Hugh McCalmont Cairns, 1st Earl Cairns

A Nice Distinction, 1875. Artist: Joseph Swain
A Nice Distinction, 1875. This cartoon shows Dr Edward Kenealy on the right preventing John Mitchell from entering the House of Commons

The Bow of Ulysses, 1875. Artist: Joseph Swain
The Bow of Ulysses, 1875. The Liberal opposition had to choose a new leader following Mr Gladstones resignation from office following the Liberal defeat in the General Election of 1874

Good-Bye !, 1875. Artist: Joseph Swain
Good-Bye !, 1875. Mr Gladstone on the right shakes hands with Prime Minister Disraeli. In the previous year, Mr Gladstones Liberal government had lost the General Election to Disraelis Conservative

Between Two Fires, 1875. Artist: Joseph Swain
Between Two Fires, 1875. Pope Pius IX is on the left of this cartoon and Bismarck of Germany on the right. In the middle is the young son of the abdicated Queen Isabella of Spain

The North-West Passage, 1874. Artist: Joseph Swain
The North-West Passage, 1874. Mr Disraeli, the Conservative Prime Minister, looks thoughtfully into the distance. Charts and maps are spread out around him

The Voice of the Turtle, 1874. Artist: Joseph Swain
The Voice of the Turtle, 1874. Gog and Magog represent the City of London in this cartoon which relates to the proposal to enlarge the Corporation

Our Merchant Navy, 1874. Artist: Joseph Swain
Our Merchant Navy, 1874. Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh refers to Britains need for fit and ready sailors. Mr Samuel Plimsoll was pursuing his fight against the often deliberate overloading

The Demon Rough, 1874. Artist: Joseph Swain
The Demon Rough, 1874. A bestial labourer crouches over the limp body of his wife whilst Justice stands over him, her scales and sword on her belt, and the cat o nine tails in her hand

The Question Settled, 1874. Artist: Charles Samuel Keene
The Question Settled, 1874. A Mrs Malaprop-like elderly lady, dressed in frills and lace rather unbecoming to one of her years, is taking a journey by railway

A Pleasure Excursion - First-Class!, 1824. Artist: Joseph Swain
A Pleasure Excursion - First-Class!, 1824. A mixed group of passengers enjoy the comforts of first-class railway travel. The large gentleman in the top hat claims to be a director

Home-(Rule)-Opathy, 1874. Artist: Joseph Swain
Home-(Rule)-Opathy, 1874. Mr Isaac Butt, the moderate leader of the Irish Home Rule Party opens a box labelled Home Rule. Ireland sits by her small fire with her meagre possessions on a stool beside

Female School of Art, 1874. Artist: Joseph Swain
Female School of Art, 1874. An elegant young man with time on his hands poses for a roomful of young women in a straight reversal of the usual roles

Womans Wrongs, 1874. Artist: Joseph Swain
Womans Wrongs, 1874. A brutish working-class husband prepares to beat his wife who still bears the insignia of previous violence

Black Sheep, 1874. Artist: Joseph Swain
Black Sheep, 1874. This cartoon shows the Archbishop of Canterbury rooting out the black sheep from amongst his flock and sending them back towards Rome

The Good Little Vitler, 1874. Artist: Joseph Swain
The Good Little Vitler, 1874. The little victualler is rewarded by the new Conservative Home Secretary, RA Cross. The previous Home Secretary, HA Bruce

Dearly Bought, 1874. Artist: Joseph Swain
Dearly Bought, 1874. Sir Garnet Wolseley is depicted presenting Britannia with King King Coffees state umbrella. British troops in the background stand guard over the dejected native King

The Levee of the Season, 1874. Artist: Joseph Swain
The Levee of the Season, 1874. Queen Victoria reviews her troops. These were the men who had fought in the Ashanti Campaign recently under the leadership of Sir Garnet Wolseley

The Police and the Public, 1874. Artist: Charles Samuel Keene
The Police and the Public, 1874. A labourer faces the court to make a complaint against the constable standing next to him

Paradise and the Peri, 1874. Artist: Joseph Swain
Paradise and the Peri, 1874. Mr Disraeli is taken by the wings of happiness. The General Election of the 5th March 1874 had seen the Conservatives, under the leadership of Mr Disraeli

Degenerate Days!!, 1874. Artist: Joseph Swain
Degenerate Days!!, 1874. A publican and his customer discuss the forthcoming General Election. After being in power since 1868, the Liberal Prime Minister, Gladstone

Necessitas Non Habet Bye-Laws!, 1874. Artist: Charles Samuel Keene
Necessitas Non Habet Bye-Laws!, 1874. The perils of over-indulgence and mistaking the alarm bell for one that summons servants are illustrated in this cartoon about the gentleman travelling first

General election, (1874?). Artist: Joseph Swain
General election, (1874?). A shrouded figure holds up the ballot box whilst, in the mists and gloom at the figures feet, the Liberal Prime Minister, Gladstone

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Cartoons have long been a powerful medium for social and political commentary, using humor and satire to convey important messages. From the early 19th century to the present day, these illustrations have captured significant moments in history and exposed societal issues. In 1911, an American Socialist poster depicted the capitalist pyramid, highlighting the unequal distribution of wealth in society. This thought-provoking image aimed to raise awareness about economic disparities and advocate for a more equitable system. Another notable cartoon from 1802 by James Gillray satirized Edward Jenner's vaccination efforts against smallpox. Titled "The Cow-Pock, " it cleverly criticized Jenner's controversial method while shedding light on public skepticism towards medical advancements. In 1805, Gillray created another iconic piece titled "The Plumb-pudding in danger, " mocking Napoleon Bonaparte's peace overture with British Prime Minister William Pitt. The cartoon portrayed both leaders carving up the world like a meal, symbolizing their hunger for power during times of conflict. During the mid-19th century, cartoons were also used as a means to address environmental concerns. An 1866 illustration called "Deaths Dispensary" highlighted water pollution as a source of disease, emphasizing the need for clean water sources and proper sanitation practices. Punch magazine contributed its fair share of memorable cartoons too. In 1855, they published an amusing depiction featuring dinosaurs roaming around London's Crystal Palace exhibition—an imaginative blend of science fiction and humor that captivated readers at that time. Moving forward to World War II era propaganda posters; one lithograph from around 1943 featured Potato Pete urging people to join him in attacking enemies—a playful yet persuasive way to encourage support for war efforts through relatable characters. Imperialism was also critiqued through cartoons such as an American illustration from 1882 named "The Devilfish in Egyptian Waters.