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The Library of Congress has
recently acquired by gift the entire personal archives of
editorial cartoonist Herbert L. Block, better known to the
world as "Herblock." Editorial cartoons are a vital form
of political commentary, representing the freedom of expression
inherent in American democracy, and the Library of Congress
is proud to maintain one of the world's premier programs
in the study and preservation of cartoon art.
Herblock's archives have been donated to the Library by
the Herb Block Foundation, established by the artist's estate
following his death in October 2001. The archives include
voluminous files of records, correspondence, clippings,
and photographs related to his unparalleled tenure as America's
foremost political cartoonist. They also include approximately
14,000 original drawings for his celebrated cartoons as
well as several thousand additional preparatory sketches
which he used to conceptualize his finished pieces.
This exhibition celebrates the gift of the Herb Block Foundation
and features a selection of original cartoons spanning the
artist's remarkable career.
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