The Knight and His Companion (Punch, March 5, 1887) 1887

Curator: This intriguing etching, dating from 1887, is entitled "The Knight and His Companion," and appeared in Punch Magazine. It's signed by Sir John Tenniel. Notice the intricate detail, executed with what appears to be a highly controlled, almost clinical hand. Editor: Yes, it has that feeling, a cool and analytical approach. There's a sharp, biting quality to the line work. The overall tone strikes me as somewhat satirical, with a touch of grim humor. Curator: Tenniel, of course, is most famous for his illustrations in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." He was a master of allegorical representation, and imbued objects and creatures with meaning far beyond their surface. Look closely at the "companion," not the dog, but the second beast the knight rides! It even carries a flag emblazoned with "Socialism"! Editor: So, immediately, we have a visual tension, don’t we? This central figure, depicted in shining, ornamented armor – itself evoking the weight of history and tradition– rides this grotesque parody, this sort of fevered mutation of animal forms. There's a very strong sense of the abject present in its formal characteristics, challenging the assumed heroism of the knight. Curator: Precisely. Consider the banner reading "Majority" draped across his horse – is he leading a genuine populace, or merely astride a perception of power? The dragon represents “socialism,” perceived in 1887 as a monstrous, multi-headed threat to Victorian stability. Editor: It seems to me Tenniel plays with established tropes only to upturn them, though. He is very interested in the ways that power structures influence formal choices. Curator: He weaponizes the very clarity of line and form to create social commentary and powerful caricature, drawn to criticize establishment politics, by deploying images which already carry symbolic meaning from other visual traditions, like illuminated manuscript illustrations, where dragons appear as dangerous omens. Editor: A perfect illustration – if you’ll pardon the pun – of how art's formal elements can carry symbolic meaning and challenge, at the same time, the way we look at meaning in the structures surrounding our viewing experiences. Curator: Indeed. It shows us that even a seemingly simple caricature can hold layers of historical, political, and artistic significance.