Caricature of Robert Stawell Ball
Date
1905
Sitter
Robert Stawell Ball (1840 - 1913, British) , Astronomer
Creator
Sir Leslie Matthew Ward (1851 - 1922, British) , Artist
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 Robert Ball at full length, with hands on hips, in front of a celestial globe.
Inscribed in the bottom left corner of the print: ‘Spy’
Inscribed above: ‘VANITY FAIR Supplement’
Inscribed below: ‘Vincent Brooks, Day & Son. Ltd. Lith/ “popular Astronomy” Jehu Junior’
This caricature is titled ‘Popular Astronomy’ and was number 949 of the ‘Men of the Day’ series published in Vanity Fair.
The associated text begins: ‘Sir Robert Stawell Ball, Lowndean Professor of Geometry and Astronomy at Cambridge, applies a merry eye to the telescope,and smiles benevolently upon the stars. The comincation of with with the higher mathematics and of a warm heart with the unimaginable frigidity of space, is suggestive of Ireland to the intelligent biographer. Such characters are born, not made; and Sir Robert was born in Dublin. English schools and Universities have taught him to tolerate the Sassenach; but they have failed to eradicate that most precious of all possessions, his Celtic sense of humour […]’
Robert Stawell Ball (1802-1857), Irish astronomer, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1873.
Sir Leslie Matthew Ward (1851-1922), British artist who did much of his work under the pseudonym ‘Spy’ and served as a caricaturist for Vanity Fair between 1873-1911.
Inscribed in the bottom left corner of the print: ‘Spy’
Inscribed above: ‘VANITY FAIR Supplement’
Inscribed below: ‘Vincent Brooks, Day & Son. Ltd. Lith/ “popular Astronomy” Jehu Junior’
This caricature is titled ‘Popular Astronomy’ and was number 949 of the ‘Men of the Day’ series published in Vanity Fair.
The associated text begins: ‘Sir Robert Stawell Ball, Lowndean Professor of Geometry and Astronomy at Cambridge, applies a merry eye to the telescope,and smiles benevolently upon the stars. The comincation of with with the higher mathematics and of a warm heart with the unimaginable frigidity of space, is suggestive of Ireland to the intelligent biographer. Such characters are born, not made; and Sir Robert was born in Dublin. English schools and Universities have taught him to tolerate the Sassenach; but they have failed to eradicate that most precious of all possessions, his Celtic sense of humour […]’
Robert Stawell Ball (1802-1857), Irish astronomer, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1873.
Sir Leslie Matthew Ward (1851-1922), British artist who did much of his work under the pseudonym ‘Spy’ and served as a caricaturist for Vanity Fair between 1873-1911.
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