Caricature:
The Weapon of Laughter!

A mini-encyclopedia to discover the art of satire

“For this mini-encyclopedia of caricature, I was inspired by two fascinating books: ‘La caricature – Art et manifeste’ by Ronald Searle, Claude Roy, and Bernard Bornemann published by Skira in 1974, and ‘Affiches et caricatures dans l’histoire’ by Robert Philippe published by Fernand Nathan in 1980.”

In short: The Atelier-Caricature encyclopedia traces over five centuries of the history of satirical art. Born in Italy during the Renaissance, caricature established itself across Europe as a formidable political and social weapon, driven by geniuses such as Daumier, Gillray, and Grandville. This reference guide analyzes the works and authors who forged modern humorous drawing.

Explore the Encyclopedia

Choose your gateway into this world where humor becomes a weapon.

Definition & Techniques

What is caricature? How were satirical ideas spread on a large scale? Dive into the fundamentals of this unique art form.

History & Famous Targets

From the Reformation to the Dreyfus affair, discover the crucial role of caricature in major historical events and its favorite targets.