Caricature of George Biddell Airy
Date
1875
Sitter
Sir George Biddell Airy (1801 - 1892, British) , Astronomer and Mathematician, Astronomer
Creator
Carlo Pellegrini (1839 - 1889, Italian) , Cartoonist
Creator - Organisation
Vincent Brooks, Day & Son, Lithographer
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height (print): 380mm
width (print): 265mm
width (print): 265mm
Subject
Description
Caricature of George Biddell Airy in left profile as viewed, holding a walking stick and dressed in a black dinner jacket and top hat.
Signed in the bottom right corner of the print: ‘Ape’
Inscribed above: ‘VANITY FAIR Novr. 13 1875’
Inscribed below: ‘Vincent Brooks, Day & Son, Lith. London./ “Astronomy”’
This caricature is titled ‘Astronomy’ and was number 115 of the ‘Men of the Day’ series published in Vanity Fair.
The associated text begins: ‘We have among us in the various departments of Science some truly great men whose names will live in their work to many future ages; and of these is Sir George Airy. Born in Northumberland four-and-seventy years ago with a splendid intellect but to no inheritance, he has made of himself, by an unremitting course of labour of the most trying kind, what he is - one of the glories of his country […]’
Sir George Biddell Airy (1801-1892), British astronomer, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1836 and served as President between 1871-1873.
Carlo Pellegrini (1839-1889), Italian artist who did much of his work under the pseudonym ‘Ape’ and served as a caricaturist for Vanity Fair between 1869-1889.
Signed in the bottom right corner of the print: ‘Ape’
Inscribed above: ‘VANITY FAIR Novr. 13 1875’
Inscribed below: ‘Vincent Brooks, Day & Son, Lith. London./ “Astronomy”’
This caricature is titled ‘Astronomy’ and was number 115 of the ‘Men of the Day’ series published in Vanity Fair.
The associated text begins: ‘We have among us in the various departments of Science some truly great men whose names will live in their work to many future ages; and of these is Sir George Airy. Born in Northumberland four-and-seventy years ago with a splendid intellect but to no inheritance, he has made of himself, by an unremitting course of labour of the most trying kind, what he is - one of the glories of his country […]’
Sir George Biddell Airy (1801-1892), British astronomer, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1836 and served as President between 1871-1873.
Carlo Pellegrini (1839-1889), Italian artist who did much of his work under the pseudonym ‘Ape’ and served as a caricaturist for Vanity Fair between 1869-1889.
Object history
Vanity Fair’s ‘Men of the Day’ series, which featured a full page, colour caricature of a significant public figure and text commentary, largely written by "Jehu Junior", was a popular feature that ran between 1868 and 1913.
This print was purchased by the Royal Society in 1999.
This print was purchased by the Royal Society in 1999.
Associated place