When a review of Infinite Jest - Caricature and Satire from Leonardo to Levine (on view at The Metropolitan Museum of Art until March 4, 2012) begins with, "A particularly apt choice of subject for a museum special exhibition as we begin a presidential election year ..." I'm already anticipating the pleasure of a good, cleansing laugh. (Seriously. Hasn't it mostly seemed like caricature and satire so far? I keep checking the headlines to make sure they don't say, "From the Staff of The Onion.") Well, Gail S. Myhre does not disappoint. She walks us from the entrance at Gallery 691 to the exit at 693, pointing out those artists -- known and unknown -- who gleefully kicked the pedestals out from under the high and pompous. Look at the image above, for example. It's the pants-less, 1777 version of, "All hat and no cattle."
If you have the chance and a sense of humor, don't hesitate to visit this show while it lasts. If that proves impossible, you're sure to enjoy Gail's review of Infinite Jest in place of a trip.
Image Credit:
Anonymous, British
Top and Tail, 1777
Etching, hand colored
Plate: 12 3/4 x 7 7/8 in. (32.3 x 19.9 cm)
The Elisha Whittlesey Collection, The Elisha Whittlesey Fund, 1959
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
No comments:
Post a Comment