Scarfe, Gerald (1936– )

English cartoonist and animator. He became known in the 1960s as a cartoonist for the satirical magazine Private Eye. The cruellest British cartoonist since James Gillray, his subjects are treated with extreme and highly inventive distortion. His work has also included sculpture, and stage and film design, notably the animation of Disney's Hercules (1997).

Scarfe was born in London and studied at St Martin's Art School there. His cartoons first appeared in Punch, the Daily Sketch, and The Sunday Times. As his depictions of British public figures – particularly politicians such as Harold Macmillan and Winston Churchill – became increasingly controversial, he found work in the USA where he contributed to Esquire and Time magazines. His collection of cartoons Gerald Scarfe People was published in 1966. He designed the cover illustration for the Pink Floyd album The Wall (1979) and animated parts of the film Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982).