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Courtroom Artists, also known as the Artist-Reporter, have played an
important part in recording human history. Long before television and still
cameras were developed, drawing and painting were the only means available to
visually record historic human events. The publics demand for this art began to
blossom in the nineteenth century as technology enabled a tremendous growth of
newspapers and news magazines to occur. Two benchmarks of this growth are
the artists' pictorial coverage of the Franco-Russian War in Europe, and the work
of Honore Daumier, who history acknowledges as one of the first to become
well-known, and who produced sketches of the King's court in Paris that were
available for the entire world to see.
Later famous artists such as Winslow Homer, covering the Civil War, and Frederic
Remington, covering the Indian Wars in Harper's Weekly, were widely distributed.
Their ringside observations and resulting sketches became the publics eyes to
these events. A secondary benefit was to record these events, for often the
artist's work is the only visual record.
When still cameras came into regular use for reporting events, many people
thought that the days of the courtroom artists were over. Fortunately this was
not to be, for in 1935 the Federal Court system banned cameras from their
courtrooms after the Lindbergh baby kidnapping trial coverage became such a
fiasco. As a direct result, courtroom artists are still in demand. Today, these artist
are generally considered to be members of the press.
It should be noted how difficult their work is. Imagine trying to produce many
drawings that capture the moment, encompass the facts and require fast
judgments about things such as style, poses, composition, color, types of tools, all
done in a very small space while having virtually no time. Imagine further
accomplishing all this while listening to tales of murder, rape, torture and other
such difficult matters. The news business is one of constant deadlines and is
notoriously unforgiving.
And to top all this off, the artists must deal with the business side as well. These
artists must work around judges making restrictions, strong and often difficult
personalities, and furthermore must work in a pool situation in a field that is very
competitive among the artists. Let's not forget the very unusual hours, and often
going to work on a very short notice. Truly an amazing feat. This is not a field
for the feint of heart, for most sane persons would just run away.
It is no surprise that their art is becoming very collectible for artistic and historical
reasons. A quote that Baudelaire once made about Honore Daumier's drawings:
"He goes straight to the point ... You only have to look to understand."
Permission for use granted by Gavin Koon
Scenic, Title & Graphics Artists Local 816, January 1998
Gavin, thank you
important part in recording human history. Long before television and still
cameras were developed, drawing and painting were the only means available to
visually record historic human events. The publics demand for this art began to
blossom in the nineteenth century as technology enabled a tremendous growth of
newspapers and news magazines to occur. Two benchmarks of this growth are
the artists' pictorial coverage of the Franco-Russian War in Europe, and the work
of Honore Daumier, who history acknowledges as one of the first to become
well-known, and who produced sketches of the King's court in Paris that were
available for the entire world to see.
Later famous artists such as Winslow Homer, covering the Civil War, and Frederic
Remington, covering the Indian Wars in Harper's Weekly, were widely distributed.
Their ringside observations and resulting sketches became the publics eyes to
these events. A secondary benefit was to record these events, for often the
artist's work is the only visual record.
When still cameras came into regular use for reporting events, many people
thought that the days of the courtroom artists were over. Fortunately this was
not to be, for in 1935 the Federal Court system banned cameras from their
courtrooms after the Lindbergh baby kidnapping trial coverage became such a
fiasco. As a direct result, courtroom artists are still in demand. Today, these artist
are generally considered to be members of the press.
It should be noted how difficult their work is. Imagine trying to produce many
drawings that capture the moment, encompass the facts and require fast
judgments about things such as style, poses, composition, color, types of tools, all
done in a very small space while having virtually no time. Imagine further
accomplishing all this while listening to tales of murder, rape, torture and other
such difficult matters. The news business is one of constant deadlines and is
notoriously unforgiving.
And to top all this off, the artists must deal with the business side as well. These
artists must work around judges making restrictions, strong and often difficult
personalities, and furthermore must work in a pool situation in a field that is very
competitive among the artists. Let's not forget the very unusual hours, and often
going to work on a very short notice. Truly an amazing feat. This is not a field
for the feint of heart, for most sane persons would just run away.
It is no surprise that their art is becoming very collectible for artistic and historical
reasons. A quote that Baudelaire once made about Honore Daumier's drawings:
"He goes straight to the point ... You only have to look to understand."
Permission for use granted by Gavin Koon
Scenic, Title & Graphics Artists Local 816, January 1998
Gavin, thank you
Lark Ireland & Associates lark@larkireland.com 805.462.2515 USA
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| Mary Chaney Courtroom Artist |