Caricature of a Man 1859

Editor: This is Etienne Carjat's 1859 charcoal drawing, "Caricature of a Man," now housed at the Art Institute of Chicago. He really nailed the comedic effect! What a presence – exaggerated but still so dignified. I'm curious, what story do you think Carjat is trying to tell us with this piece? Curator: Ah, Carjat! He saw the world as a stage, a delicious buffet of quirks and contradictions. This isn't just a caricature, it's a character study. Note the book tucked under his arm – 'Courier d'Italie' – a clue perhaps to his intellectual leanings or maybe just his reading habits. Does it strike you as a tribute or a gentle mockery? The tiny feet against the bulk of his body – pure comedic genius! But there's also a romantic, almost wistful, quality in the swirling background, don't you think? Like he’s floating in a dream. Editor: I do see what you mean. It is more layered than just a simple gag. The background does give it this dreamy feel. Curator: Exactly! Carjat's caricatures aren't cruel; they're affectionate ribbing. He’s showing us the man's essence, inflated with a knowing wink. It makes you wonder what skeletons Carjat might have had hidden in his own closet. Perhaps this inflated fellow is just a funhouse mirror image of the artist himself. Editor: That's a cool perspective; looking at it now, I think the romantic backdrop stops the caricature from feeling nasty and gives it a thoughtful, humane touch. Curator: Precisely. The best art makes us see ourselves, or some fragment of ourselves, reflected in the most unexpected places, and sometimes, in the most unflattering light. A bit like a caricature, really.