Cartoon Paintings for Sale

The meaning of the term cartoon is versatile and has evolved throughout the history of art. In the Middle Ages, the word was used to refer to preparatory drawings used by Renaissance masters such as Leonardo da Vinci or Raphael. The artists would prepare large sketches before starting to work on their great masterpieces. The meaning then developed in the late 18th century to designate humorous and caricature drawings that criticised ridiculous lifestyles and abusive governments. Thanks to the development of print media in the 19th century, the production of satirical cartoons skyrocketed, especially with the launch of illustrated satirical newspapers such as the Punch in the United Kingdom. In the 20th century, improvements in motion pictures technology gave birth to animated cartoons. Creative geniuses such as Walt Disney or Tex Avery revolutionised the entertainment sector with their anthropomorphic animals, which became emblematic characters of our pop culture. 

These iconic characters still inspire contemporary artists, who exploit the significance of their imagery in today's society. The French artist Rico Sab mixes Pop Art and Street Art in a cartoonish manner. Drips of colourful paint and phrases painted on in a graffiti style cover his canvases, creating a playground for famous characters from comic strips, TV shows, films, cartoons, or manga who interact with one another in his artworks. In one corner there might be Homer Simpson cheering for his son Bart, while on the other side Donald Duck holds a hunting rifle, and Garfield, disguised as an undercover spy, watches over them. This jumble of popular references is balanced with a meticulous painting technique and a skilled use of oil paint. 

Alain Bertrand, a painter fascinated by American culture, mixes cartoons with his interest in cars and mechanics. He uses aluminium parts taken from real cars as supports for depicting portraits of Looney Tunes characters, such as Daffy Duck or Bugs Bunny. The artist Marabout is probably the most satirical painter, parodying Art History's classic paintings with cartoons characters. The artist does not hesitate to orchestrate anachronistic encounters, for example between Tex Avery's wolf and Picasso's bathers or Dora Maar. His reinterpretation of Gericault's iconic Raft of Medusa includes some of Marvel's most famous superheroes including Wonder Woman, Captain America or Wolverine. 

In this selection, travel back to your teenage years by discovering Artsper's cartoon inspired paintings. Browse artworks by emerging artists paying tribute to the cartoon culture using acrylic paint, oil painting, or mixed media.