In its most common definition, the caricature is characterized as a picture, description, or imitation of a person in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated to create a comic or grotesque effect.
According to Iliya Beshkov, one of the most famous Bulgarian caricaturists, the caricature is not even an artistic expression, and yet, it plays a crucial role in the social and political life of a country. A caricature’s purpose, says the artist, is to mock and judge the vices through a public, social “trial”. Therefore, it cannot be intimate – it is art for the masses.
The period after WWI is considered the Golden Ages of Bulgarian Caricature. Many prominent illustrators, living abroad, were using their art to express their position towards the political injustice in the country. They were young, well educated, and cleverly used humor to create a simplified relatable situation from the Bulgarian social life.
A greedy, shameless careerist, ready to do everything to satisfy his desires, can often be found in the pages of Modern Bulgarian newspapers. The apathetic man, living quietly in the comfort of his ignorance, is another common figure in the Bulgarian caricature world. Pegasus, a symbol of artistic inspiration and wisdom, is often shown as a passive figure led by a mediocre writer.
After 1944, with the rise of the Communist regime, the Bulgarian caricaturists fell under the Iron Curtain and the Soviet censorship. Many artists were imprisoned, prosecuted, and sentenced to death for portraying the party in a way that did not pursue its best interests. In the following 40 years, Bulgarian art loses its voice and becomes a mirror of communist ideas and propaganda.
What I love most about the old Bulgarian caricatures is the simplicity of the characters and the clean line work. Without overcomplicating the illustrations, the artists managed to convey messages brilliantly. The ideas behind the caricatures are often simple, yet witty and memorable. I spent a month in the National Library going through the archives of old newspapers and books where I could find more caricatures with a social message, and redraw my favorite ones in a notebook. I decided to use a market to challenge myself to draw with no mistakes and let the lines tell the story. I found that it was an excellent exercise to learn how to draw faster and use cleaner lines. I also found inspiration in the story behind some of the drawings and used them for my illustrations.
