His cartoons were viewed by soldiers throughout Europe during World War II, and were also published in the United States. By March 1944, he was given his own jeep, in which he roamed the front, collecting material and producing six cartoons a week. Mauldin began working for Stars and Stripes, the American soldiers’ newspaper as well as the 45th Division News, until he was officially transferred to the Stars and Stripes in February 1944. Eventually he created two cartoon infantrymen: Willie, who was modeled after his comrade and friend Irving Richtel, and Joe, who became synonymous with the average American GI.ĭuring July 1943, Mauldin’s cartoon work continued when, as a sergeant of the 45th Division’s press corps, he landed with the division in the invasion of Sicily and later in the Italian campaign. While in the 45th Infantry Division, Mauldin volunteered to work for the unit’s newspaper, drawing cartoons about regular soldiers or “ dogfaces“. He was himself a soldier, and was able to bring a sympathetic character to readers at home, and some relief to the troops around him. "It's a rare genius that can do that.Bill Mauldin came to fame in WWII drawing cartoons showing the human dimension of the war in characters he named Willie and Joe. "He was just awake and aware and alert at all times and would filter everything through this prism of his genius that would get expressed in these wonderful cartoons day in and day out," DePastino said. Mauldin would absorb everything going on around him, from the look in a politician's eye to the timbre of someone's voice. His later work centered on issues still relevant today - civil rights, privacy and government overreach. It offered a glimpse into life on the front lines at a time when Americans were shielded from many of the horrors of war. Other museums and historical societies will get a share.īiographer Todd DePastino said Mauldin's work went beyond boosting soldier morale. Mauldin's family plans to donate much of the remaining collection to the Library of Congress - where most of his World War II cartoons are already housed. Ten more cartoons will be auctioned early next year in New York. The auction opened Saturday and continues through Monday. Heritage Auctions is offering the items on behalf of the estate.
0 kommentar(er)
