Object of the Day: A Caricature by “Spy,” Sir Leslie Ward

Sir Leslie Ward, the son of celebrated painters E.M. Ward and Henrietta Ward was better known to the citizens of Nineteenth and early Twentieth Century Britain as “Spy.” His sensitive caricatures graced the covers of over two thousand issues of Vanity Fair Magazine.


Spy took great pride in the fact that is caricatures were not grotesque , but rather showed an idealized and affectionate tribute to his subjects. Take for example, this 1880 caricature of the great showman P.T. Barnum. We see Barnum, known for his healthy appetite, seated at a table, in the process of enjoying his lunch. While some artists might have exaggerated the act of eating, “Spy” shows us a man of great elegance, neatly posed with knife and fork, his tasteful cuff buttons evident against his crisp white shirt.

This 1880 magazine cover has been carefully preserved in a frame which dates to the era. Leslie Ward’s covers were often saved and framed because of their high quality and gentle humor.