"History of People" by Antonio Mingote

The ABC Museum is exhibiting for the first time 316 original works by writer, humorist and cartoonist Antonio Mingote as part of the exhibition “Historia de la Gente” (Historia de la Gente).

Mingote was always honest in his work, not even the censorship attacks of the 50s stopped him. With Exposure “A History of People” begins a tribute to Mingote that will run through September 2.

Antonio Mingote’s first passion was painting; he dreamed of painting both the Sistine Chapel and portraits of beautiful ladies in large collars. But his real passion was history. He simply devoured any history book that fell into his hands. Mingote made a huge series of drawings of people from all eras with commentaries. Mingote’s talent displayed on paper the prehistoric era, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Crete and Mycenae, Greece, Rome, the Barbarians, Byzantium, the Baroque, sewing machines, Islam, the railroad, the Middle Ages, America, the Renaissance, and more. The selection has been made with the most common features in mind, to encompass the uniqueness of people throughout history. All the drawings bear the stamp of Mingote’s humor and sarcasm, thus describing man and the inhumane treatment of his own kind.

Antonio Mingote took the history of the ancients as an excuse to talk about the strange behavior of the individual, the stupidity of the crowd and great heroism, small successes and big mistakes. His aim was not to preach virtues. “Utopias do not please people, they are duller than the reality of history, and, worse, utterly useless,” he said.

Mingote worked until the last day of his life, even in the hospital. He died in the spring of 2012. In Spain, a prize named after him is awarded annually to the best cartoonist.

Anna Sidorova