Cartoons can give us a pictorial history of Australia in a series of
cartoon ‘time capsules’; they often hold a mirror up to Australian society.
This book shows how cartoonists helped develop a visual vocabulary for
Australian life and culture—whether it is ‘The Little Boy from Manly’, a
larrikin digger or Tony Abbott’s red speedos.
Inked:
Australian Cartoons presents a selection of
thought-provoking cartoons from the National Library of Australia’s extensive
archive, covering topics from the First Fleet to the present day. The book
shows readers the breadth of Australia’s cartooning history, from historic subjects
such as convict life, the goldfields, early royal visits and Ashes crickets
tests, through the cartoon greats such as Will
Dyson, Bruce Petty, Michael Leunig, to contemporary cartoons by significant artists such as David Pope, Jon
Kudelka, Judy Horacek, Cathy Wilcox and David Rowe.
Inked shows how the role of cartoonists has shifted from illustrator to
commentator, skilfully capturing the controversial topics of the day. Author
Guy Hansen shows how whether it be post-war politics and the demise of the
Labor government, capital punishment, the Vietnam War, Indigenous affairs or changing
relationships with Britain and Asia, nothing has escaped our skilled
cartoonists’ satirical pens.
