The caricaturists Mario Pompei and Umberto Onorato both designed caricatures for Il Dramma (published by Editrice Le Grandi Firme). This venerable Italian chronicle of the stage was the leading theatrical magazine of its time. Although the faces below may not be known to non-Italians today, the clever use of minor distortion was both expressive and revealing. During the magazine’s long run, caricature was only a portion of the diet, but it was perhaps the most illuminating period of its history.
