Lecture on History of Caricature at Historical Society in Homs

The Historical Society in Homs organized on Saturday a lecture on the history of caricature presented by the head of visual arts in the society Yasser Al-Sabai, in which he shed light on the history of caricature, its most prominent figures, and its importance as an art in itself.

In a statement to a SANA correspondent, Al-Sabai said that the art of caricature has many boundaries, is lighthearted, has a gentle impact, and its importance stems from its indirect effect as one painting is enough to replace reading a newspaper or a book.

He pointed out that this ninth art has entered into other arts such as ancient singing “Syrian Aghwani” and in acting, comedy, cartoon films, poetry “Al-Hajja” and in satirical literature “such as Al-Maghout and Aziz Nisin” and the adventures of Al-Saruji and Maqamat Al-Hariri and children’s magazines Karakoz and Awaz and others.

Al-Sabai shed light on the artist Naji al-Ali and his unique experience in this art and the character of Hanthala that he created. He spoke about the caricature statues in the works of the French sculptor Onore Daumier and shed light on other prominent names in this field.

He pointed out that among the most important names of Syrian caricaturists are Abdul Latif al-Shawali, Abdul Hadi Shamaa, Yassin Khalil, Abdul Rahman al-Khalil, Mumtaz al-Bahra, Abdul Wahab Abu al-Saud, and Raed Khalil. From Homs, he mentioned the late Tarif al-Husseini and from its countryside, William Hanna, owner of the Tom and Jerry Company in 1931.

Inas Abdulkareem