President Reagan 1999

Pat Oliphant created this drawing of President Reagan with charcoal on paper. Charcoal is a humble material, the residue of burnt wood, yet capable of great subtlety. Note how Oliphant coaxes a range of tones from it, from the light gray of the background to the dense blacks of the suit and hair. The marks are broadly applied, smudged and blurred in places. The use of charcoal contributes to the image’s immediacy, suggesting that it was made quickly, capturing a fleeting moment. Oliphant's artistic choices are not accidental. As a political cartoonist, his job was to capture the essence of a figure or situation with speed and precision. The caricature is, by its nature, a quick and efficient medium, well-suited to the daily churn of news and commentary. This is a work of graphic communication, more closely aligned with the world of newspapers and mass media than with the traditions of fine art. But by emphasizing the material process, we can appreciate the skill and intention that went into its making, understanding the importance of both context and craft.