Caricature of William Fergusson
Date
1870
Sitter
William Fergusson (1808 - 2010, British) , Surgeon
Creator
Carlo Pellegrini (1839 - 1889, Italian) , Cartoonist
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height (print): 380mm
width (print): 265mm
width (print): 265mm
Subject
Description
Caricature of William Fergusson at full length, inclined slightly to the left as viewed. A raised hand in a shield is depicted in the top right-hand corner of the cartoon.
Inscribed in the bottom right corner of the print: ‘Ape’
Inscribed above: ‘VANITY FAIR. Dec. 17, 1870.’
Inscribed below: ‘No. 111. MEN OF THE DAY No. 17./ “There is no man of greater weight in his profession’
This caricature is titled ‘There is no man of greater weight in his profession’ and was number 17 of the ‘Men of the Day’ series published in Vanity Fair.
The associated text begins: ‘Sir William Fergusson, Bart., F.C.S., F.R.S., the most eminent of living surgeons, is a native of Scotland, having been born at Prestonpans in 1808. He studied his profession under Knox, at Edinburgh, and continued to reside in that city in the days when the Wynds had their every-day horrors as well as their tradition of mystery, and people went stealthily about after nightfall as if their steps were haunted by ghosts and vampires. After his student days, Fergusson became the assistant of Drs. Knox and Turner, in the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, and for several years devoted himself to the study of anatomy, under the direction of the former [….]’
Sir William Fergusson (1808-1877), first baronet and surgeon, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1848.
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.
Inscribed in the bottom right corner of the print: ‘Ape’
Inscribed above: ‘VANITY FAIR. Dec. 17, 1870.’
Inscribed below: ‘No. 111. MEN OF THE DAY No. 17./ “There is no man of greater weight in his profession’
This caricature is titled ‘There is no man of greater weight in his profession’ and was number 17 of the ‘Men of the Day’ series published in Vanity Fair.
The associated text begins: ‘Sir William Fergusson, Bart., F.C.S., F.R.S., the most eminent of living surgeons, is a native of Scotland, having been born at Prestonpans in 1808. He studied his profession under Knox, at Edinburgh, and continued to reside in that city in the days when the Wynds had their every-day horrors as well as their tradition of mystery, and people went stealthily about after nightfall as if their steps were haunted by ghosts and vampires. After his student days, Fergusson became the assistant of Drs. Knox and Turner, in the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, and for several years devoted himself to the study of anatomy, under the direction of the former [….]’
Sir William Fergusson (1808-1877), first baronet and surgeon, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1848.
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