Skip to main content

Search

My Visit
Donate
Home Smithsonian Institution

Site Navigation

  • Visit
    • Museums and Zoo
    • Entry and Guidelines
    • Maps and Brochures
    • Dine and Shop
    • Accessibility
    • Visiting with Kids
    • Group Visits
      • Group Sales
  • What's On
    • Exhibitions
      • Current
      • Upcoming
      • Past
    • Online Events
    • All Events
    • IMAX & Planetarium
  • Explore
    • - Art & Design
    • - History & Culture
    • - Science & Nature
    • Collections
      • Open Access
    • Research Resources
      • Libraries
      • Archives
        • Smithsonian Institution Archives
        • Air and Space Museum
        • Anacostia Community Museum
        • American Art Museum
        • Archives of American Art
        • Archives of American Gardens
        • American History Museum
        • American Indian Museum
        • Asian Art Museum Archives
        • Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, African Art
        • Hirshhorn Archive
        • National Anthropological Archives
        • National Portrait Gallery
        • Ralph Rinzler Archives, Folklife
        • Libraries' Special Collections
    • Podcasts
    • Stories
  • Learn
    • For Caregivers
    • For Educators
      • Art & Design Resources
      • Science & Nature Resources
      • Social Studies & Civics Resources
      • Professional Development
      • Events for Educators
      • Field Trips
    • For Students
    • For Academics
    • For Lifelong Learners
  • Support Us
    • Become a Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Make a Gift
    • Volunteer
      • Smithsonian Call Center
      • Ambassador Program
      • Museum Information Desk
      • Docent Programs
      • Behind-the-Scenes
      • Digital Volunteers
      • Participatory Science
  • About
    • Our Organization
      • Board of Regents
        • Members
        • Committees
        • Reading Room
        • Bylaws, Policies and Procedures
        • Schedules and Agendas
        • Meeting Minutes
        • Actions
        • Webcasts
        • Contact
      • Museums and Zoo
      • Research Centers
      • Cultural Centers
      • Education Centers
      • General Counsel
        • Legal History
        • Internships
        • Records Requests
          • Reading Room
        • Tort Claim
        • Subpoenas & Testimonies
        • Events
      • Office of Human Resources
        • Employee Benefits
        • How to Apply
        • Job Opportunities
        • Job Seekers with Disabilities
        • Frequently Asked Questions
        • SI Civil Program
        • Contact Us
      • Office of Equal Opportunity
        • EEO Complaint Process
        • Individuals with Disabilities
        • Small Business Program
          • Doing Business with Us
          • Contracting Opportunities
          • Additional Resources
        • Special Emphasis Program
      • Sponsored Projects
        • Policies
          • Combating Trafficking in Persons
          • Animal Care and Use
          • Human Research
        • Reports
        • Internships
    • Our Leadership
    • Reports and Plans
      • Annual Reports
      • Metrics Dashboard
        • Dashboard Home
        • Virtual Smithsonian
        • Public Engagement
        • National Collections
        • Research
        • People & Operations
      • Strategic Plan
    • Newsdesk
      • News Releases
      • Media Contacts
      • Photos and Video
      • Media Kits
      • Fact Sheets
      • Visitor Stats
      • Secretary and Admin Bios
      • Filming Requests

Camera-ready comic art drawing for The Katzenjammer Kids

National Museum of American History

Object Details

graphic artist
Musial, Joe
publisher
King Features Syndicate
Description (Brief)
This pen-and-ink drawing prepared for the The Katzenjammer Kids comic strip shows “der Captain” calling “der Inspector” a “cheapskate” after being accused of being lazy. During the verbal altercation, Hans and Fritz offer “der Inspector” a bag that he thinks is full of cash. To prove he isn’t stingy, “der Inspector” offers half to “der Captain,” then they discover that the bag contains a wild cat planted by the two boys as a prank.
Joseph "Joe" Musial (1905-1977) was a comic artist who began working in 1929 as an assistant to Billy DeBeck’s comic strip Barney Google. In 1932 Musial was hired by King Features Syndicate to serve as a substitute artist on strips such as Blondie, Bringing Up Father, and Thimble Theatre. In 1956 Musial was asked to draw The Katzenjammer Kids. He continued drawing the strip until 1976.
The Katzenjammer Kids (1897- ) premiered in American Humorist, a Sunday supplement to the New York Journal. The creator of the strip, German immigrant Rudolph Dirks (1877-1968), was inspired by a German children’s story from the 1860s called “Max and Moritz.” The storyline included mischievous twins, similar to the later comic strip protagonists Hans and Fritz. Both sets of twins have an aversion to authority. The strip often sees Hans and Fritz playing pranks on various adults, such as their mother, “der Captain” (who acts as a father figure), “der Inspector” (a school official), and their tutor, Miss Twiddle.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Newspaper Comics Council, Inc., New York, NY
1966-05-22
ID Number
GA.22552
catalog number
22552
accession number
277502
Object Name
drawing
Other Terms
drawing; Pen and Ink
Physical Description
paper (overall material)
ink (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 36.1 cm x 57.5 cm; 14 3/16 in x 22 5/8 in
See more items in
Work and Industry: Graphic Arts
Cultures & Communities
Comic Art
Communications
National Museum of American History
Record ID
nmah_797365
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-e93e-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Related Content

  • Comic Art

    American History Museum
  • Comic Art

    American History Museum
Comic art by Joe Musial, The Katzenjammer Kids (Copyright King Features Syndicate)
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer

Footer logo

Link to homepage

Footer navigation

  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Get Involved
  • Inspector General
  • Records Requests
  • Accessibility
  • EEO & Small Business
  • Shop Online
  • Host Your Event
  • Press Room
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use

Social media links

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn

Get the latest news from the Smithsonian

Sign up for Smithsonian e-news

Get the latest news from the Smithsonian

Email powered by BlackBaud (Privacy Policy, Terms of Use)
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Back to Top