Caricature of the Bayreuth Festival, 1876

This wood engraving by Gerhard Döring mocks the pretensions of Wagner's newly inaugurated Bayreuth Festival. A portly, self-satisfied impresario stands center stage while attendants fawn and adjust his costume—a visual metaphor for the artificial grandeur surrounding the event. The crowd in shadow suggests public skepticism. This work exemplifies the tradition of political and cultural satire descending from Gillray and Daumier, where wood engraving allowed rapid, pointed commentary on contemporary events. Such prints circulated widely in newspapers and periodicals, establishing visual humor as a vehicle for public opinion—a direct ancestor of the comic strip medium.