W. NORMAN RITCHIE ORIGINAL WWI POLITICAL SATIRE CARTOONS: Group of 6 W. Norman Ritchie WWI political cartoon illustrations, each in ink on paper and 4 signed on the face.

1.) ‘The Belgian Glad Hand,’ satirizing relations between Holland and Prussia 11.125”h x 10.25”w. 2.) ‘Lightless Nights’ depicting German Kaiser Wilhelm, king of Prussia (aka Butcher of Verdun) examining a map of allied advances, 12”h x 10.625”w. 3.) ‘The Crucian Moment’ depicting the German Government signing the WWI peace treaty while flanked by General Foch and a figure representing German Bolshevism, 13.25”h x 12.125”w. 4.) ‘What! Is Henry deserting the Colonel?’ Depicting a caged dove of peace surrounded by US Government forces asking for money from Congress to support military funding including: the White House, Theodore Roosevelt, Munitions and Navy contractors and others, 12.5”h x 16.5”w. 5.) Design for a patriotic banner header memorializing the soldiers killed in WWI and the Civil War, with two tombstones between a waving flag above a central shield flanked by funeral wreaths and an American flag pennant, 9.75"h x 25.875"l (center crease). 6.) ‘A Bare Possibility’- depicting Gandhi as leader of the Indian independence movement in British-ruled India being swayed by the British Government, 15.75”h x 11.75”w.

BIOGRAPHY: William Norman Ritchie (1867-1948, Canada, America) was an influential political cartoonist and reporter from the end of the 19th century through the first half of the 20th century, first at the Providence Telegram and went onto work for the Boston Post for over 50 years. His first cartoon, titled, “Deadly Parallel” centered around the notorious murder case of Lizzie Borden was picked up by newspapers all over the country and he was catapulted to fame. While his cartoons were strongly political he enjoyed respectful friendships with many of his subjects including a close relationship with President Theodore Roosevelt and was acquaintances with President Calvin Coolidge. He was known not only for being ambidextrous and beginning his cartoons with both hands, but for intense study of his chosen subjects which allowed him to create likenesses of perfectly recognizable subjects with grossly exaggerated characteristics. Ritchie’s work can be found in the public archives of the Cambridge Room, Cambridge Massachusetts and numerous private collections.