In Your Face! : A History of Malicious Caricatures

A distorting mirror for our times – from cave paintings to viral memes.

Caricatures have a long history, perhaps as long as that of human artistic expression. The earliest examples were discovered at Thebes in ancient Egypt over 3,000 years ago. The purpose of caricatures has always been to crush what is sacred and uncover pomposity. The form does not fear drastic, even offensive, representations. Caricatures belong to the lower arts, even when made by a master.

In this richly illustrated volume, Johan Hakelius guides us from the earliest examples in Egypt and Rome to digital memes and AI-generated satirical videos. We discover ways of satirising kings, popes and politicians as well as religious groups. Hakelius paints a picture that is both serious and entertaining when describing a genre that features both artists celebrated by the masses and those imprisoned by the powers that be.