Antique Image of the Day: A "Vanity Fair" Cover by "Spy", 1900

Winston
"Spy," 1900
The Victoria & Albert Museum

We’ve talked about “Spy” before. The son of two of my favorite artists (E.M. Ward and Henrietta Ward), Sir Leslie Ward used the name, “Spy” when he created his famous caricatures for the cover of “Vanity Fair.”


Here, we see a print entitled “Winston” depicting Winston Churchill, which graced “Vanity Fair” in September of 1900. This is one of a series of portraits published by “Vanity Fair” under the title “Men of the Day.”

Object of the Day: “Memories of Ninety Years,” Henrietta Ward

Renowned English painter Henrietta Ward penned two memoirs during her long life. The first was Mrs. E.M. Ward’s Reminiscences which was published in 1911 and recounted her exciting life with her husband, also an accomplished and celebrated painter as well as their relationships with such luminaries as Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins. In her second memoir, Memories of Ninety Years, published before her death in 1924, Ward spoke plainly about her life as a painter, her friendship with Queen Victoria and told tales from her scintillating life and family. She speaks fondly of her son, Sir Leslie Ward, and chronicled her time as tutor to the children of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.


Included in the book are several attractive plates of reproductions of her works as well as intimate photographs from her own collection. These include personal photos as well as images of her friends and family.

Difficult to find, it’s a fascinating book and a rare glimpse into the life of one of Britain’s most prolific artists.

memories of ninety Years

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.

Object of the Day: An Engraving by E.M. Ward

Edward Matthew Ward (1816-1879) was a prolific historical painter of the Victorian era. Very much against the emerging Pre-Raphaelite movement, E.M. Ward declared the works of the “brotherhood” to be “un-British” and preferred to continue to paint in the style of epic historical painters such as Hogarth. His steady “British-ness” made him extremely popular with the crown and government and he was often commissioned to do paintings for Parliament.


Ward was married to Henrietta Ward (maiden name and married name were both “Ward,” but they were unrelated), a skilled painter in her own right. Together, they associated with some of the most notable names of the era including Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins. Henrietta was a celebrated art teacher in addition to her other work. Her intimate friendship with Queen Victoria led her to be the tutor appointed to teach the Royal children how to draw. Leslie Ward, the son of E.M. and Henrietta, went on to be a well-respected caricaturist for Vanity Fair, under the name “Spy.”

Many of E.M. Ward’s paintings were recreated as engravings so that they could be included in books and presented as wall hangings which could be enjoyed by everyday people. This engraving shows Ward’s signature style. Like his wife, he filled every inch of a composition with complicated figures, detailed scenery and theatrical costumes. The result is always a painting which is full of life and serves to give one a heightened sense of a historical scene.

Object of the Day: 1887 “Vanity Fair” Cover by “Spy”

From 1873 until 1911, the famous caricaturist, “Spy” drew the cover art for over two thousand issues of Vanity Fair Magazine. “Spy” was in reality, Sir Leslie Ward—the son of famed painters E.M Ward and Henrietta Ward, and the grandson of the renowned, James Ward. Though he came from a celebrated artistic family, Leslie, as one of eight children, received no specialized art training in his early life.


During his time at Eton in Windsor, Spy showed considerable artistic talent, and, soon, was being shown at the Royal Academy. Still, his father encouraged young Leslie to be an architect. After a grueling year apprenticing in an architecture firm, Leslie asserted himself and went on to receive training in the arts. His drawings earned him considerable attention, and, in 1873, he replaced the caricaturist “Ape” as the artist in charge of the covers for Vanity Fair Magazine.

His work was applauded and notable figures of the day were honored by his skillful and sympathetic cartoons. In his 1915, autobiography, Sir Leslie Ward said, “If I could sum up the art in a sentence it would be that caricature should be a comic impression with a kindly touch, and always devoid of vulgarity.” His drawings defined the art of caricature so much so that they are referred to as “Spy Drawings.” Three hundred of his original drawings hang in the British National Portrait Gallery.

This Vanity Fair cover from the November 12, 1887 edition is a classic representation of “Spy’s” work. Entitled, “First Lord of the Treasury,” the drawing reflects Sir Leslie Ward’s belief that caricature should not be forced or cruel, but should show “a good memory, an eye for detail, and a mind to appreciate and grasp the whole atmosphere and peculiarity of the ‘subject.’”

Today, Spy’s covers are highly collectable—just as they were at the time. Many of his covers were framed and proudly displayed. This particular cover is still in its original frame from C. Lamm and Company, 1890. The grace and simplicity of these covers makes today’s busy and loud magazine covers seem even more vulgar.