Image number: RS.20817

    Caricature of Herbert Spencer

    Date
    1879
    Sitter
    Herbert Spencer (1820 - 1903, British) , Philosopher
    Creator
    Francis Carruthers Gould (1844 - 1925, British) , Caricaturist
    Creator - Organisation
    Object type
    Archive reference number
    Material
    Technique
    Dimensions
    height (print): 380mm
    width (print): 263mm
    Subject
    Description
    Caricature of Herbert Spencer at full length, shown facing forwards, in a top hat and holding a pair of leather gloves in one hand.

    Inscribed in the bottom right corner of the print: ‘CG'
    Inscribed above: ‘VANITY FAIR April 26 1879’
    Inscribed below: ‘Vincent Brooks, Day & Son. Lith./ "Philosophy"'

    This caricature is titled ‘Philosophy’ and and was number 198 of the ‘Men of the Day’ series published in Vanity Fair.

    Herbert Spencer (1820-1903), British philosopher, social theorist and sociologist, was not a Fellow of the Royal Society.

    Francis Carruthers Gould (1844-1925), British political cartoonist and 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 donated to the Royal Society by former PRS Charles Scott Sherrington (1857–1952), as part of a bound volume featuring caricatures, photographs and signature facsimiles of the individuals.
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