Caricature of James Ludovic Lindsay
Date
1878
Sitter
James Ludovic Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford and 9th Earl of Balcarres (1847 - 1913, British) , Astronomer, 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): 263mm
width (print): 263mm
Subject
Description
Caricature of James Ludovic Lindsay at three-quarter length, inclined to the left as viewed, in evening dress and holding a lit cigarette.
Inscribed in the bottom left corner of the print: ‘Spy’
Inscribed above: 'VANITY FAIR May 11 1878’
Inscribed below: ‘Vincent Brooks, Day & Son. Lith./ “Astronomy”’
This caricature is titled ‘Astronomy’ and was number 273 of the ‘Men of the Day’ series published in Vanity Fair between 1868-1913.
The associated text begins: ‘The Lindsays have been a fine fighting Scotch family ever since Sir David unhorsed Lord Welles on London Bridge. They fought for the Stuarts, they have fought for the House of Brunswick, and the head of the house is now the twenty-fifth Earl of Crawford, and the possessor of a splendid property and great revenues. James Ludovic, Lord Lindsay, the eldest son and future twenty-sixth Earl, has, oddly enough, turned out a man of science. Born only one-and-thirty years ago, and educated at Eton, there was no reason why he should have been anything else than an idle man. But although he went into the Guards, he had somehow acquired a taste for astronomy, and set himself to work with so much zeal and ability that he is now one of the recognised English astronomers having authority even in his own country […]’
James Ludovic Lindsay, 26th Early of Crawford and 9th Earl of Balcarres (1847-1913), British astronomer, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1878.
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 May 11 1878’
Inscribed below: ‘Vincent Brooks, Day & Son. Lith./ “Astronomy”’
This caricature is titled ‘Astronomy’ and was number 273 of the ‘Men of the Day’ series published in Vanity Fair between 1868-1913.
The associated text begins: ‘The Lindsays have been a fine fighting Scotch family ever since Sir David unhorsed Lord Welles on London Bridge. They fought for the Stuarts, they have fought for the House of Brunswick, and the head of the house is now the twenty-fifth Earl of Crawford, and the possessor of a splendid property and great revenues. James Ludovic, Lord Lindsay, the eldest son and future twenty-sixth Earl, has, oddly enough, turned out a man of science. Born only one-and-thirty years ago, and educated at Eton, there was no reason why he should have been anything else than an idle man. But although he went into the Guards, he had somehow acquired a taste for astronomy, and set himself to work with so much zeal and ability that he is now one of the recognised English astronomers having authority even in his own country […]’
James Ludovic Lindsay, 26th Early of Crawford and 9th Earl of Balcarres (1847-1913), British astronomer, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1878.
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.