July 14, 1998 Swann Foundation Announces Fellowship in Caricature and Cartoon

Press Contact: Craig D'Ooge (202) 707-9189

The Caroline and Erwin Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon, newly relocated from New York City to the Library of Congress, announces that it is now accepting applications for its graduate fellowship. The Swann Foundation awards one fellowship annually (with a stipend of $15,000) to assist ongoing scholarly research and writing projects in the field of caricature and cartoon. Completed applications are due February 15, 1999, and notification will occur in April 1999. The fellowship covers the 1999-2000 academic year.

To be eligible, one must be a candidate for an M.A. or Ph.D. degree in a university in the United States, Canada or Mexico and working toward the completion of a dissertation or thesis for that degree, or be engaged in postgraduate research within three years of receiving an M.A. or Ph.D. Although research must be in the field of caricature and cartoon, there is no limitation regarding the place or time period covered. Since the Foundation encourages research in a variety of academic disciplines, there is no restriction upon the university department in which this work is being done, provided the subject pertains to caricature or cartoon art.

In the interest of increasing awareness and extending documentation of Library of Congress collections, fellows are required to make use of the Library's extensive holdings, be in residence for at least two weeks during the award period, and deliver a public lecture at the Library on his/her work-in-progress at that time. Finally, recipients must provide a copy of their dissertation, thesis, or postgraduate publication, upon its completion, for the Swann Foundation Fellowship files.

New York advertising executive Erwin Swann (1906-1973) established the Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon in 1967. An avid collector, Swann assembled a large group of original drawings by 400 artists, spanning two centuries, which came to the Library of Congress in the 1970s, along with an endowment for the acquisition, preservation, exhibition, and publication of caricature and cartoon. His collection joined the Library's distinguished holdings in this field, which range from nearly 10,000 British, French, Dutch, and German satires to a collection of 4,000 original drawings by such masters as Thomas Nast and A.B. Frost from the golden age of American illustration (1870-1920) and more than 20,000 original cartoon drawings by several generations of leading American cartoonists and illustrators, including Walt Kelly, Jules Feiffer, Pat Oliphant, and Garry Trudeau, as well as drawings for cartoons and cover illustrations for The New Yorker magazine.

The Foundation's support of research and academic publication is carried out in part through a program of fellowships. Applications and guidelines are available through the Swann Foundation's Web site: https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/swannhome.html, by e-mailing: swann@loc.gov, or by calling (202) 707-9115.

The Caroline and Erwin Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon, administered by the Library of Congress, is overseen by an advisory board composed of scholars, collectors, cartoonists, and Library of Congress staff members. Its activities support the study, interpretation, preservation and appreciation of original works of humorous and satiric art by graphic artists from around the world.

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PR 98-107
1998-07-14
ISSN 0731-3527