Caricature of John Hall Gladstone
Date
1891
Sitter
John Hall Gladstone (1827 - 1902, British) , Chemist, Physical chemist
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): 390mm
width (print): 270mm
width (print): 270mm
Subject
Description
Caricature of John Hall Gladstone at full length, inclined to the right as viewed, holding his spectacles in one hand and the back of a chair in the other.
Inscribed in the bottom right corner of the print: ‘Spy’
Inscribed above: ‘VANITY FAIR Novr. 14 1891’
Inscribed below: ‘Vincent Brooks Day & Son, Lith/ “Chemistry & Optics”’
This caricature is titled ‘Chemistry & Optics’ and was number 523 of the ‘Men of the Day’ series published in Vanity Fair.
The associated text begins: ‘Descended from those Gladstanes or Gladstones who figure so well in old Scottish Border tales, he was born four-and-sixty years ago in London; which has ever since been his home. Having learned what he might at home, he studied chemistry under Professor Graham at University College, and under Professor Liebig at Giessen; and so became qualified to lecture "stinksmen" at St. Thomas's Hospital. He developed so much energy as a chemist that they elected him a Fellow of the Royal Society at the age of six-and-twenty; and he has since seved on the Royal Commission on Lighthouses, Buoys, and Beacons; and on the Gun Cotton Committee appointed by the War Office in 1864 […]’
John Hall Gladstone (1827-1902), British physical chemist, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1853 and was awarded its Davy Medal in 1897 for ‘his numerous contributions to chemical science, and especially for his important work in the application of optical methods to chemistry’.
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.
Inscribed in the bottom right corner of the print: ‘Spy’
Inscribed above: ‘VANITY FAIR Novr. 14 1891’
Inscribed below: ‘Vincent Brooks Day & Son, Lith/ “Chemistry & Optics”’
This caricature is titled ‘Chemistry & Optics’ and was number 523 of the ‘Men of the Day’ series published in Vanity Fair.
The associated text begins: ‘Descended from those Gladstanes or Gladstones who figure so well in old Scottish Border tales, he was born four-and-sixty years ago in London; which has ever since been his home. Having learned what he might at home, he studied chemistry under Professor Graham at University College, and under Professor Liebig at Giessen; and so became qualified to lecture "stinksmen" at St. Thomas's Hospital. He developed so much energy as a chemist that they elected him a Fellow of the Royal Society at the age of six-and-twenty; and he has since seved on the Royal Commission on Lighthouses, Buoys, and Beacons; and on the Gun Cotton Committee appointed by the War Office in 1864 […]’
John Hall Gladstone (1827-1902), British physical chemist, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1853 and was awarded its Davy Medal in 1897 for ‘his numerous contributions to chemical science, and especially for his important work in the application of optical methods to chemistry’.
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.
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