Clare Victor Dwiggins

Clare Victor Dwiggins, known professionally as Dwig, was a prolific American cartoonist celebrated for his humorous and highly animated comic strips that appeared in newspapers from the late 19th century through the mid-20th century. Originally on track to become an architect, Dwiggins shifted paths after his early artwork was published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and New York World in 1897. Over the course of his long career, he created a wide range of strips and panels, including School Days, Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, and Ophelia and Her Slate, often drawing on nostalgic themes of childhood, mischief, and rural Americana. His work was known for its expressive characters, energetic line work, and clever wit. Dwiggins remained active in the cartooning world until 1945, after which he turned to book illustration. His legacy lives on as one of the most charming and recognizable illustrators of early American newspaper comics.