POLITICAL caricature is something of a newcomer among the arts of communication. Although Germans had indulged vigorously in graphic satire since Luther's time, they did so without any conspicuous show of wit and they entrusted the execution to artisans rather than draughtsman. As a result their efforts in this field reflect little of the preoccupation with character delineation evident in the Italian caricature. Founded towards the end of the sixteenth century by Anni bale Carracci of Bologna, this school of exaggerated portraiture sought 'to grasp the perfect deformity, and thus reveal the very essence of a personality'.- For the better part of the next two centuries the Germans and the Italians followed different paths. The Germans retained their heavy symbolism while the Italians concerned themselves with the non-satirical exploration of identity in an intimate, often playful, fashion. Not until the mid -eighteenth century did these two traditions finally unite in the work of the English amateur, George Townshend (later 4th Viscount and 1st Marquess Townshend). In 1756 Matthew Darly started to publish card-sized etchings on current topics after drawings by Townshend. For the first time a significant use was made of caricature to flesh the bare, emblematic bones of political propaganda. The history of the modern editorial cartoon can well be said to have begun at this point; in terms of basic form, Townshend's simple amalgam has yet to be improved upon. However, the blueprint alone was not sufficient. Another generation elapsed before Townshend's new weapon fell into the hands of an artist who was capable of demonstrating its full potential.

A caricature is a rendered image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way through sketching, pencil strokes, or through other caricature artistic drawings (compare to: cartoon). Caricatures can be insulting or complimentary and can serve a political purpose or be drawn solely for entertainment. Caricatures of politicians are commonly used in editorial cartoons, while caricatures of movie stars are often found in entertainment magazines