To call Richard Thompson – who died on Wednesday at the age of 58 -a cartoonist is like saying Mozart could carry a tune.
His reputation will probably rest on his syndicated Washington Post strip, Cul de Sac, which featured in-yer-face 4 year old Alice Otterloop and her deeply introverted elder brother, Petey, along with their friends, parents, their grandmother and their grandmother’s enormous dog. Thompson’s genius, however, stretched to caricatures, the ever-inventive and often weird Richard’s Poor Almanac, editorial illustrations, oil paintings and much more.
What I found irresistable in Richard Thompson’s work -and the reason why The Art of Richard Thompson would be my desert island book – was the amount of life he could pour into his most casual line. Look at any of his drawings and see the expression in those faces, the carefully-observed humanity in those cartoon bodies, the humour in the eyes of the figures standing behind the main figures.
He could draw the best caricature of George W Bush, wonderful cows, fools with caps and bells, Santa’s little helpers, elephants like you’ve never seen them before, a brilliant Beethoven, and the story of evolution in three perfect panels (click on the Richard Thompson link in the blogroll to the right). We shall not encounter his like again any time soon, I know.
I offer my inadequate small tribute (below) to an artist I would have loved to have met and told how much his work means to me.
Thank you so much for sharing, what a touching tribute. I (ahem) confess I hadn’t heard of him, but a brief glimpse suggests I’m going to love his strips. Better late than never. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I only discovered his work a couple of years ago when he was already ill with Parkinson’s disease. Since then I’ve been making up for lost time by buying any and all books by and about him! A wonderful man. Glad you enjoy the strips.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
“…carefully-observed humanity…humour in the eyes of the characters standing behind the main characters…” Life observed and drawn out in living colour. Life observed and lived. Smirks. Gasps. Winks. Nods. Life…
Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for your words, Michael. I just ordered his book. I’m eager to read it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sure you’ll enjoy it, Kirk. Right up your street, I’d say!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a shame. These are brilliant.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aren’t they?
LikeLike
Some of my friends on FB posted RIP Richard Thompson, but I was sadly ignorant as to who it was. Thank you for sharing this! I learned much about him through you and can see why he will be sorely missed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
He was wonderful. His blog is a good place to start even though I suspect he himself wrote very little over the past couple of years.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks; I will check that out.
LikeLike
I’ll be looking for his books. Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Michael for sharing this wonder tribute to Richard Thompson. Your art is a very fitting goodbye to RT.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Sharon.
LikeLike
I will echo all the thanks above. I did not know his work either, but will investigate further. (K)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes do, Kerfe, he was a wonderful artist and by all accounts a lovely man.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much for sharing, Michael! Appreciate the tribute and introduction to his work…I’ve not heard of him, but totally intrigued to look for more!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sure you’ll enjoy it, Charlie.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for introducing me to this artist Michael, wonderful stuff, inspiring.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Phil. He was immensely talented.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a wonderful tribute Michael-both words and image. When I was living in Virginia, our paper carried Thompson’s strip, but it was dropped as many people did not like it, which I never quite understood-he was an immensely talented artist and mind and I really enjoyed his take on the world and us human beans-
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks ever so much. I find it difficult to understand the concept of someone not liking a Thompson strip!
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing a lovely tribute. And thank you for swinging by the “Ranch.” We ❤️ visitors.
LikeLiked by 1 person