CARTOON (Ital. carton, pasteboard; from Lat. charta, paper). In the fine arts, C. is a design on strong paper, of the full size of a work to be afterwards executed either in fresco, oil color, or tapestry. The object of the artist in preparing a C. is. that he may adjust the drawing and composition of his subject in circumstances in which altera tions can be effected with facility, before proceeding to the execution of the work itself. Cartoons are generally composed of a number of sheets of stout paper or pasteboard, pasted together at the edges, and stretched on a frame. The surface is sometimes primed, or washed with a ground-color; but more frequently this process is dispensed with. The drawing is made either in chalks or in distemper (q.v.), in which latter case the C. itself has very much the appearance of a fresco. Frequently only two colors are used, merely for the purpose of producing light and shade, in which case the C. is said to be in chiaro-oscuro.
i The C., when finished. is transferred to the canvas or plaster on which the work is to be executed, either by tracing with a hard point, or by pricking with pins, charcoal in both cases being used. Sometimes lines are simply drawn across it, or, if it is wished to preserve it from injury, threads are stretched across it from pins placed at the required distances along the edges. In fresco painting (q.v.), the plaster on which the work is executed must be kept wet, in order that it may absorb the color, and consequently only a small portion can be executed at a time. For this reason, the C. must be traced in 'small compartments of the size that the artist can finish without stopping. It is here, consequently, above all, that the necessity for the previous execution of a C. is greatest, as it would be impossible to sketch the whole design on the plaster in the first instance.
But the great masters used such studies in chiaro-oscuro as guides to them in almost all their more extensive works, and many of these monuments of their care, as well as of their genius, have been preserved. We have cartoons of Andrea Mantegna, Domeni chino, the Caracci, etc.; but the finest specimens of cartoons in existence are those of Raphael at Hampton court. These marvelous conceptions were sent to Flanders in the reign of Leo X., in order that they might be copied in tapestry in two sets, one of which was designed for the pope, the other for a present by the pope to Henry VIII. of Eng land. The tapestries, which are very inferior to the designs, are still in existence. One set is in Rome, the other was in England till the death of Charles I., when it was pur chased by the Spanish ambassador and carried to Spain. At a recent period it was
brought to London and offered for sale, but as no English purchaser was found, it was again carried to the continent. For many years the cartoons, originally twenty-five in number, lay neglected at Brussels, and many of them were destroyed. The seven now at Hampton court were at length purchased by Rubens for King Charles I. It is an instance of Cromwell's good sense, in a direction in which it was not often exhibited, that at the dispersion of the royal collections, these cartoons were purchased for the nation by his special command. So low was the artistical taste of the time, however, that whilst the "Triumph of Julius Caesar," by Andrea 3lantegna, still at Hampton court, was valued at £2,000, the cartoons of Raphael were set down at £300! In Charles II.'s time. these remarkable works were again consigned to oblivion. An attempt was made to have them copied in tapestry, by which they were seriously injured. W illiam III., strangely enough, followed in Cromwell's footsteps in appreciating what Charles II. had neglected. He had the cartoons restored, and built a gallery- for them at Hamp ton court, where, with the exception of a visit to Windsor in George M.'s time, they have since sojourned. The following are the subjects represented: 1. Paul Preaching at Athens; 2. The Death of Ananias; 3. Elynias, the Sorcerer, struck with Blindness; 4. Christ Delivering the Keys to Peter; 5. The Sacrifice at Lystra; 6. The Apostles Healing the Sick at the '• Beautiful Gate" of the Temple; 7. The Miraculous Draught of Fishes. Our space and our design equally preclude us from attempting any state ment of the merits of these exquisite compositions. Several of the lost cartoons are par tially transmitted to us by engravings, some of which were executed from the tapestries; others, it is believed, from the originals. The subjects of these are-1. The Adoration of the Kings; 2. Christ appearing to Mary Magdalene: 3. The Disciples at Emmaus; 4. The Murder of the Innocents; 5. The Ascension. These were engraved, along with the others, by Soinereau, a French engraver, in 4to. Other cartoons of Raphael exist—one the property of the duke of Buccleuch, and two in the possession of the king of Italy, which are said to have belonged to the set sent to Flanders. There is also a portion of one in the national gallery in London, but it is now painted over with oil color. The best engravings of the cartoons at Hampton court are by Dorigny, Audrau, and Hollo way; but in future it is probable that they will be more known to the public by means of photographs, of which Messrs. Colnaghi and others have already produced very beau tiful specimens.