The art of the political cartoonist in the 21st century is, sadly, a dying art form. During a time when newspapers dominated the political and social landscape, the skill of the artist was to sum up an event in a single sketch. For the best and most importantly, independent artists, all politicians, nobility and celebrities were fair game and many fell victim to the rapier-like ink pens which created memorable moments in the documentation of recent history.

The 20th Century in Cartoons has been in my collection for a number of years. Edited by Tony Husband, it is a wonderful compilation of cartoons dating back from the turn of the last century and featuring artists from both sides of the Atlantic through two world wars, the subsequent Cold War and all of those moments in between that shaped our political and cultural history.

The beauty of the political cartoon lies in its ability to record a moment in time which captures both the accuracy of the moment for political documentation as well as the voice of a disaffected artist and their audience. Each artist drew cartoons which reflected both the absurdity and the seriousness of the political situation, encapsulating the journalists columns as well as the editors/proprietors political bent.

Artistically, some periods are easier to identify than others. In the first quarter of the last century there was a definite style of drawing with an emphasis on detail and often, a certain darkness to their theme. Despite such troubled times, these cartoonists managed to find humour in the dark, the public relied upon a handful of artists to speak for them and remind their political leaders who they worked for.

The front cover of the book features Rube Goldberg’s 1948 cartoon “Peace Today” won the Pulitzer Prize and shows a peaceful family picnicking on top of an atomic bomb, balanced precariously on a cliff edge labeled “World Control” on one side and plunging into the abyss of “World Destruction” on the other. A perfect encapsulation of how those of us of a certain age remember living.

There are many great artists featured, look out for contributions from Clifford Berryman, Bernard Partridge, D.R. Fitzpatrick in particular with every major event covered from the sinking of the Titanic to prohibition, the two Great Wars, Vietnam and the Cold War to the era of Thatcher and Reagan.

This then, is a fine tribute to a very sadly diminishing art form which is being replaced largely by abusive comments on social media platforms.