Political cartoons in the Presidential Library collections

The Presidential Library has digitized political cartoons of the early 20th century, published in Russian newspapers and magazines, as well as Alexander Shvyrov’s rare book "Illustrated history of cartoons from ancient times to the present day," published in 1903 in St. Petersburg.

In Russia, a caricature as an indicator of public sentiment was particularly relevant in the pre-revolutionary and revolutionary situations. Here is a brief prehistory of the known cartoon on the government of 1905, which depicts the prime minister of the time S. Yu. Witte and Interior Minister P. N. Durnovo who "do not get along." Less than in a year, from August 1905 to April 1906, Witte had developed a draft Constitution, concluded the most profitable in the current situation peace treaty with Japan, began to pursue a new policy towards the enemies of the autocracy, dividing them into two very different groups.

Penal and police measures were applied in relation to the irreconcilable radicals whose massive and often armed uprisings led to destabilization and serious violations of public order (transport, communications, utilities). As to moderately liberal forces, Witte tried to engage them to cooperate, started to invite for meetings and consultations such well-known figures as P. N. Milyukov. New rules for periodicals were adopted: prior censorship, liens and foreclosure were canceled.

Interior Minister P. Durnovo strongly disapproved of all these "indulgences" which was reflected by a caricature from the collection of the Central State Archives of Film and Photo Documents of St. Petersburg, delivered to the Presidential Library for digitization.

There is also published a caricature of the illustrated appendix to "Petrograd newspaper" issued during the first Russian revolution and on the eve of the First World War. For example, in the annex to "Petrograd newspaper» № 108 there is a witty cartoon of the German chancellor with the caption: "The German chancellor is tireless." And in fact, his head, like a weather vane, sensitively catches wind of political change and is ready to offer a new plan of attack against any country, weakened by some objective reasons, economically and politically.

The cartoon’s author paints a disturbing atmosphere of the approaching war, which will soon cover the entire Europe. As for the artistic level of the illustrated appendix, it remains high and even in a grotesque embodiment is based on best realistic traditions close to the style of the Wanderers.

Alexander Shvyrov’s "Illustrated history of cartoons from ancient times to the present day" gives the analysis of Western European situation, which created the preconditions for the development of a cartoon genre in Russia, which in the early 20th century looked actively towards the West:

In Holland the political cartoon was developed even more than the public one. This development was due to many foreign artists, a large number of whom were hiding in the Netherlands from persecution at home. A considerable number of caricatures depicted Cromwell and English Puritanism, but attacks on France were even stronger and more numerous.

It is no exaggeration to say that during the reign of Louis XIX, there were plenty of cartoons on France coming from Holland. This was due to, first, forays by Louis on the rich merchant republic, and secondly, his indulgence of the Jesuits. The first major product of caricature, which launched a campaign against France, was called: "The destruction of Christian morality due to depravity of monasticism."

In 2014, the Presidential Library plans to continue digitizing cartoons published in Russian periodicals. They will join the electronic holdings, which today comprise more than 300,000 units.