Caricature of William Withey Gull
Date
1875
Sitter
William Withey Gull (1816 - 1890, British) , Physicist
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 William Withey Gull at full length, shown in left profile as viewed, one hand resting on his jacket buttons. A raised hand in a shield is depicted in the top right-hand corner of the cartoon.
Inscribed in the bottom right corner: ‘Ape’
This caricature is titled ‘Physiological Physic’ and was number 119 of the ‘Men of the Day’ series published in Vanity Fair.
The associated text begins: ‘Born nine-and-fifty years ago in Essex, and sent early to Guy's Hospital in London, Sir William Gull has led a laborious life and achieved brilliant results. As a young man he conceived an enthusiasm for medicine which he retains to this day, and therewith a large idea of the various kinds of knowledge required for its faithful practice which has caused him to address himself to a very large sphere of scientific inquiry. For in all science he devoutly believes so thoroughly as to hold that it alone is sufficient to raise, and will in the course of time raise, the human race towards if not to perfection […]’
Sir William Withey Gull (1816-1890), first baronet and physician, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1869.
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: ‘Ape’
This caricature is titled ‘Physiological Physic’ and was number 119 of the ‘Men of the Day’ series published in Vanity Fair.
The associated text begins: ‘Born nine-and-fifty years ago in Essex, and sent early to Guy's Hospital in London, Sir William Gull has led a laborious life and achieved brilliant results. As a young man he conceived an enthusiasm for medicine which he retains to this day, and therewith a large idea of the various kinds of knowledge required for its faithful practice which has caused him to address himself to a very large sphere of scientific inquiry. For in all science he devoutly believes so thoroughly as to hold that it alone is sufficient to raise, and will in the course of time raise, the human race towards if not to perfection […]’
Sir William Withey Gull (1816-1890), first baronet and physician, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1869.
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