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GERMAN CARICA-TURtSTS. i''

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GERMAN CARICA- TURtSTS. WHERE POLITICS ARE IGNORED. yHE RENOWNED "FLIEGENDE BLAETTER" AND ITS SUCCESSFUL CAREER—THE BEST DRAUGHTSMEN AND WRITERS EMPLOYED —POLITICAL CARICATURES OF BURKEL. <( Alle Wetter noch einmall! that can't be oalled a caricature!" growled the somewhat corpulent Oberlaender,the sovereign of modera German caricature, pointing to a sketch-book of Flassar, the most important of the younger contributors, of whom a number jrere scanning the sketches with great interest. There were lieutenants represented without the everlasting monocle, Jewish bankers without big, fat stomachs, and even ladies that were not all handsome; in short people one might meet every day of one's life in Munich. ,t I do not see why the standard representa- tion of a travelling Englishman must wear a fcuit of a large square pattern, a grey stove- jpipe, and carry a telescope," answered Flassar, » tall, straight, gay young man. But how, to the deuce, are we to know whether it is meant to be serious or comical P" and Oberlaender took a deep draught out of ilia grey slone mug. The numerous element is contained in the ivords!" This animated conversation was going on umong the merry contributors to the world- famous liiegende Blaetter, who had met in one of the numerous beer-gardens to have a chat on art and to out-do one another in joviality and drinking beer. The guests were numerous on that night. In glancing around one perceived Graetz, Heugeler, Wagner, all genial humorists, and Unger and Kramer, who excel in drawing dwarfs and children. But there are others of wider reputation That fashionably-dressed gentleman, with eyeglasses and a careless manner, is Rene Ileinicke, the unexcelled delineator of society life. What studies of every-day high life he offers to us, and what taste and skill he displays in his soft, careful pen-and-ink sketches. Next to him sat Harburger, a very unpre- tentious, quiet, middle-aged mat', with a dark moustache. Have you ever looked at his charcoal sketches ? At his students, lawyers, dignified professors, clergymen, venerable matrons, well-to-do burghers, and unpreten- tious town maidens ? Every one of them is a character, and he never repeats himself! There exist enough interesting faces for him in this wide world, and he hunts for a new model for every drawing. Unlike most of the other draughtsmen, he is also highly esteemed as a painter. And that gentleman with a cigar in his mouth and a coat of a somewhat military cut is the artist of the delightful manoeuvre scenes, Nagel, who only lately resigned his military post. Quite a dispute had risen about the old school which draws in outlines without much shading and sacrifices everything, even cor- rectness of form, to the immedi te oomical effect and the stupendous technique of the new school, which is of more literary merit. The latter make their drawing according to the joke, which they often think out them- selves, while the others draw their caricatures on inspiration, and generally let somebody else add the explanatory words. Alright Klasser, don't get excited or your beer will turn stale," said Oberlaender, good-naturedly stroking his long beard, who is one of the best known figures in artistic Munich. "How much dil you get for your last drawing? That's the principal thing." "Sixty nia rks IIow, how, growled Oberlaender, "not so bad!" You must accumulate quite a fortune," remarked a long, lean, Quixotic looking gentleman you have sometimes two or three in a number." The speaker was Schliessman, who had undergone years of suffering. He, in com- pany with Verlat, the draughtsman, who accompanied the German Emperor to Russia, and two others, bad once been living in the cellar of the new academy while it was being built. They were so poor that they had to beg their drawing materials from other students, and often when they felt the pangs of burger they shot a cat and roasterl it there over a fire mxde of waste wood. Oberlaender gets a good deal more for his work," whispered enthusiastic young Zopf to his neighbour. ''So do Reinicke and Harburger. And they deserve it was the answer, without a note of envy. "Is there anybody who can give animals and plants a more comical aspect than Ober- laender ? Only look at the powdered and painted lionesses and tigresses, or the ostrich who mistakes a bald head for one of his egg's I" "And do you remember his laughing elephants in his Kamerun pictures P" Those of Emil Reinicke are also very funny!" But, after all, none of them equal Busch," said Hermann Vogel, drawing his moustaohe through his fingers, with a smile of gratifica- tion that generally accompanied his utte- rances he is known for his costume carica- tures, being a decorative talent of rare ability. It is all the same to him whether the scenes he had to represent were laid in Rome, Egypt, Greece, or the province with all its lovesick troubadors. That's a matter of taste," said Harburger, lighting his tenth cigar. A dense atmosphere of smoke, continually growing thicker, hovered over the table, for they all seemed to be strong smokers—quite a number were puffing out of pipes. "Are you talking about me?" inquired Oberlaender, who bad ordered a couple of Regeiisburger sausages by the blonde bar- maid, using the occasion to give her an affec- tionate pat on her rosy oheeks. They nodded with a laugh. He threatened with his index and then gave his whole atten- tion to his repast. It was quite the oustom among his happy- go-lucky orowd to criticise their works in the presence of each olher. Their remarks were mostly straightforward and to the point, and it seldom came to a malicious or sarcastio controversy between them. The calming in- fluence of the heavy beer prevented such a thing, and aside of that they were glad to learn what they could from one another. What is the matter with you, Aristo- phanes ?" inquired the good-humoured Vogel, with a pleasant quizzioal expression in his twinkling eyes, of a little man who leant his head on both hands and stared at the tables. "Oh, he is composmg, Oh, Aristo- phanes 1" ejaculated Flassar. "Leave me in peace!" growled the little Beuhtelsheim, who had made such a decided bit in burlesquing Greek life, which hereto- fore had always been represented in soon an ideal manner. 0„ Where did you steal the idea. "Surely not from you, my boy, mur- mured the little man but to tell you the truth, I got it from Offenbaob's comic operMf' I Oh, the Beautiful Helena,' no doubt!" exclaimed Flashar, and he began singing one of the arias, in which some other members joined with great gusto. Harburger has found a new model! exclaimed young Zopf, elbowing his neigh- bour. J farburger was sketching in his bold, free manner on an envelope the puffed-up face of an old student, apparently an incorrigible tippler, with a red nose and several pieces of plaster on his face. That drawing is sure to appear in a few weeks in the Iliegende Blaetter, which, after having been in existence nearly half a cen- tury, has become universally known as unexcelled for ridiculing and caricaturing human nature. Its world-wide success is ex- plained by the fact that it never becomes frivolous or prudish, and appeals to all classes and conditions of society. Strange to say, the humorous element was introduced into Tsar-Athenes by the political caricatures of Burkel, but they soon set politics aside, and left it to the Berlin papers, when the old Raspar Braun, a thorough business man, created a common organ under the title Fliegende Blaetter, Their office has remained as unpretentious as it was in the beginning, but the firm em- ploy the best draughtsmen and writers in the country. Many a well-known poet has made his maiden efforts in the Fliegende Blaetter, and this remarkable weekly can be found everywhere civilisation is known, being read by foreigners as well as Germans, and will. no doubt, excite laughter and amusement for many years to come. Nitzohe, are you coming from the circus?" a new-comer was asked. lie was a short, burly man, with a frank pair of blue eyes and a pleasant smile, who had suddenly come into public notioe through his sketches relating to circus life. He had apparently learnt something from his intimacy with clowns and short-skirted lady equestrians, for he soon began to perform all manners of tricks; he played ball with three Vienna rolls, balanced an empty mug on his finger tips, knocked money through the table and pulled it out of some beard or coat-sleeve. Oberlaender, over whose features an ex- pression of infinite comfort settled whenever he emptied a 11 mass," turned aside for a moment and applied a red handkerchief with great noise to his nose. His knife and folk clattered on his plate, and he turned around and exclaimed:- Why, where is my last sausage gone to ? I suppose I must have eaten it!" Then he seized his mug. 11 Why, what's this ? It is empty weighing it in his hand. "And, the deuce, how does this get in here ?" and he drew the sausage out of the empty mug. All roared with laughter, for nobody had seen Natzche do it. Oberlaender himself joined in the hilarity, and said again and again, Take care, Hexenmeister At this moment another gentleman joined the company. "Ah, Schlittgen he was greeted. The new arrival was finely dressed, like a society man. He is to some extent the rival of Reinioke in depicting the humoristic phases of the German aristocracy and middle class. His pen and ink drawings bear a more manly and satirical character, but they are less re- fined and piquant. Several shook hands with him, and took their hats as if getting ready to leave. What nonsense is up now, young brats ? growled Oberlaender. Schlittgen's birthday is to be celebrated. He is going to treat. Do you, perhaps, object ? "Not at all. But why can't we stay right here ? I don't like running about, you know." No, old man. We have to paint the town red. Come along "Not before I have emptied another mug." And after the next round Schlittgen, in spite of his exclamation, "Don't be foolish wa3.1iftedon several shoulders and carried in great trnmjfh through the beer garden, amid shouts ana laughter and all sorts of noises. It was a real pandemonium, so that even the stout, jovial innkeeper shook his bead. They went from one saloon, cafe, summer garden, beer cellar, to the other, In one place Flassar had to recite a comical poem. In another Vogel had to sit down at the piano and im- provise on any theme given to him. ridiculing the peouliar styles of Wagner, Mendelssohn, &o., in a masterly way. Any stranger who had spent this evening with them would have marked it in his calender. But they seemed to be quite used to that unrestrained South German life with its sociability, its perpetual holiday mood and high amiss. At last genial Harburger invited them to his studio, just the place fit for such a com- pany, One corner of the spacious studio was fitted up like an old Bavarian tap-room— which he had constructed as a model for one of his paintings. Soon the large assortment of mugs of all forms and sizes were fiUed and re-filled up to the biim, and with as little foam as possible. The milk wagons were already rattling over the street wheu his guests began to disperse. Oberlaender, who always boasted that he could stand twenty quarts of beer in a sitting, seemed to have indulged in an overdose, for as he walked along the Lugwigsstrasse somehow it happened that one minute he almost slipped into the gutter and the next he felt his way along the wall. Also Flassar, who accom- panied him, wore his hat in a very peculiar fashion, tipped over one ear. Suddenly Oberlaender remained standing and began gesticulating. A passing policeman who knew the artists asked them if he should lead them home. Oberlaender answered: Oh, we can find our way, can't we, Flassar ? I am only waiting until the torchlight procession has passed." How could there be a torchlight proces- sion so early in the morning ? laughed the policeman. Come on," said Flassar. Don't you see it ? insisted Oberlaender. "I only see two rows of lamp-posts along the Ludwigsstrasse ? What, those are lamp-posts? Oh, no Realty—hem !"Tben heauddenty straightened his corpulent figure. "Aile Himmel MocA einmal.' 1 have a capital idea," and he drew his companion into some by street into another saloon. The drowsiness seemed to have left him. With great energy he was making all sorts of lines on a piece of paper with a blunt lead pencil. After a few minutes he gave it the last touches and handed it to Flassar. There were two rows of lamp-posts emit- ting light in all directions, waving to and fro in the dark, straight, endless, broad, and empty Ludwigsstrasse, which seemed to have turned insane, for the Ludwig Church displayed three towers and the horse-car tracks the houses and the triumphal aroh at the end of the street were winding like snakes in their vanishmg lines. In the foreground was a drunkard and a policeman. This caricature appeared under the title "Torchlight Procession," and made a great hit.

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