The renderings of First World War political cartoonist James Fitzmaurice will be discussed Nov. 12 from 11 a.m. to 12 noon at the Surrey Archives.
English-born Fitzmaurice (1875-1926) began working for The Province newspaper in 1908, drawing 2,100 images for the publication over the next 18 years.
He drew 400 political cartoons during the First World War, most of which were printed on the front page. As a result, his portrayal of the Great War shows how many people experienced and continue to remember it in the Lower Mainland.
Led by Robin Anderson, associate professor at the University of the Fraser Valley, the discussion will focus on the cartoons and how many were a reflection of the tone in B.C. at the time.
Anderson will explore war cartoons depicting the major political leaders, as well as the more local cartoons which represented the impact of the war at home.
The work of Fitzmaurice is still highly regarded today, largely because of the timeless nature of his humour gently poking fun of middle class efforts to support the war effort.
The political cartoonist had an understanding of human nature, never blaming the citizens of nations in his war cartoons, and placing world leaders in domestic situations to make them relatable.
This discussion is open to the public for a fee of $11. Registration can be taken at 604-502-6459. The Surrey Archives is located at 17671 56 Ave. in the historic 1912 Municipal Hall.
Regular archives hours are Tuesday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, visit www.surrey.ca/heritage
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