Book Description

"A rich visual history that traces Twain's distinguished depictions in newspaper and magazine illustrations. Cartoons and Caricatures of Mark Twain: Reformer and Social Critic, 1869-1910 is the first monograph to explore the production, reception, and history of Mark Twain's public persona through the contextualization of the vast collection of cartoons and caricatures penned in his likeness throughout his life, career, and even death. Tracing Twain's depiction across more than seventy illustrations, this work offers a new lens through which to study the famous writer and social critic. Already a popular subject of photography, as printing technologies advanced, Mark Twain found himself to also be a popular muse for newspaper and magazine illustrators. Between 1869 and his death in 1910, Twain was the subject of more than six hundred caricatures and cartoons published around the world. Instantly recognizable by his overemphasized mustache and bushily-drawn eyebrows, it was not just the familiarity of his image that made him a regular feature in visual commentary, but also his willingness to speak out against corruption and to insert himself into controversies of his day. Unlike photographs, these illustrations stripped him of his ability to manipulate his public perception and control his brand, providing a more authentic look at his contentious reputation in the 19th and 20th century political sphere and the significance of his reception around the world. Along with his legacy, Twain left behind an archive brimming with evidence of a rich print culture and history that has not, until now, been scrutinized. Cartoons and Caricatures of Mark Twain offers a carefully curated collection of these illustrations and thought-provoking contextual material with which to examine Twain's global reputation and reception"--