A History of Caricature and Grotesque in Literature and ArtWright, Thomas
History
A History of Caricature and Grotesque in Literature and Art
Wright, Thomas
Caricature -- History
Some of Murner's writings against Luther, most of which are now very
rare, are extremely violent, and they are generally illustrated with
satirical woodcuts. One of these books, printed without name of place
or date, is entitled, "Of the great Lutheran Fool, how Doctor Murner
has exorcised him" (_Von dem grossen Lutherisschen Narren, wie in
Doctor Murner beschworen hat_). In the woodcuts to this book Murner
himself is introduced, as is usually the case in these satirical
engravings, under the character of a Franciscan friar, with the head of
a cat, while Luther appears as a fat and jolly monk, wearing a fool's
cap, and figuring in various ridiculous circumstances. In one of the
first woodcuts, the cat Franciscan is drawing a rope so tight round the
great Lutheran fool's neck, that he compels him to disgorge a multitude
of smaller fools. In another the great Lutheran fool has his purse, or
pouch, full of little fools suspended at his girdle. This latter figure
is copied in the cut No. 144, as an example of the form under which the
great reformer appears in these satirical representations.
[Illustration: _No. 144. Folly in Monastic Habit._]
In a few other caricatures of this period which have been preserved,
the apostle of the Reformation is attacked still more savagely. The
one here given (Fig. 145), taken from a contemporary engraving on
wood, presents a rather fantastic figure of the demon playing on the
bagpipes. The instrument is formed of Luther's head, the pipe through
which the devil blows entering his ear, and that through which the
music is produced forming an elongation of the reformer's nose. It was
a broad intimation that Luther was a mere tool of the evil one, created
for the purpose of bringing mischief into the world.
[Illustration: _No. 145. The Music of the Demon._]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account