William Charles

Who was William Charles?

William Charles was a Scottish-born engraver who emigrated to the United States and is now known best for his political cartoons, especially "The Hartford Convention or LEAP NO LEAP", perhaps the most widely printed illustration regarding that historic subject.

He was born in Edinburgh but little is known about his early life and training. Charles had published political caricatures in Edinburgh and London before immigrating to America. He worked extensively in New York and Philadelphia from about 1806 until his death.

"Charles ... must be regarded as an instrumental figure in transferring the techniques and vocabulary of the English caricaturists to an American context," according to Lorraine Welling Lanmon.

Satirical cartoons were his forte, but he also created landscapes and book illustrations. He worked in etching, line and stipple engraving, as well as aquatint.

"His work rarely reached significant artistic heights", Lanmon wrote in an article on Charles. He was "neither an expert draftsman nor an accomplished technician" although some of his works showed expertise in both draftsmanship and technique, she wrote.

His most well-known cartoons concern the War of 1812.