'Pictures from Punch' at the Cartoon Museum

Wednesday 2nd November 2016


A new exhibition at the Cartoon Museum in London celebrates the diversity of art and humour in 'Punch' magazine, 175 years after its beginning in 1841.  Featuring original artwork from key artists and cartoonists from the 19th and 20th Centuries,  the exhibition also includes the original woodblock used to produce the magazine's iconic cover which appeared on every issue from 1841-1956.

Quentin Blake's own career as an artist began as a cartoonist for Punch, as the magazine accepted and published a drawing of his when he was aged just 16 and was still at school. Quentin commented, 'It was wonderful when the magazine decided to have coloured covers every week.  They were mostly submitted as roughs and as each was a one-off it was a great opportunity to try out different techniques.'  Included in the exhibition are four of his original colour artworks for covers from the 1950s and 60s, together with two cartoons which appeared inside the magazine at the same period.  

'Pictures from Punch: a  175th anniversary exhibition' is on show at the Cartoon Museum 2 November 2016 - 22 January 2017.  For more details about opening times and admission, visit the Cartoon Museum website: www.cartoonmuseum.org