While browsing Delcampe, I came across a funny postcard of monkeys playing chess, which you can see below. It made me want to find out a bit more about the artist behind the card, who has created other equally amusing ones!
Lothar Meggendorfer (1847–1925) was a German illustrator and paper engineer regarded as one of the great pioneers of pop-up books. Born in Munich, he began his career as an illustrator for satirical magazines such as Fliegende Blätter, where he honed his sense of movement, caricature and humorous observation. From the 1880s onwards, he revolutionised children’s books by devising ingenious mechanical systems that allowed several elements of an image to be animated using a single lever, bringing scenes full of dynamism and humour to life.
Alongside his famous pop-up books, Meggendorfer also produced series of illustrated postcards, notably his remarkable cards featuring anthropomorphic monkeys.
In these images, monkeys dressed and posed like humans adopt social or bourgeois demeanours, often with a satirical and mischievous touch, reflecting the foibles of the society of his time. These cards, which were very popular in the late 19th century, demonstrate his talent for combining visual humour with social observation.
Exhibited across Europe and the United States, his work has left a lasting mark on the history of illustration and children’s publishing, making him a key figure and highly sought-after by collectors.
You can find these amusing monkey postcards on Delcampe, the collectors’ marketplace, at very reasonable prices; you’ll notice the humour and finesse of the line work that make this collection so charming.
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