Cricketer - A Flannelled Fighter. Vanity Fair caricature c1902.

by Leslie Ward (Spy)

Batsman at the wicket. Men of the Day. The Honourable Frank Stanley Jackson, B.A. "He is a nice young fellow of two-and-thirty..." "...it is as a cricketer that he has done most for his country. He was first chosen to play for England against Australia in 1893, and he has played in each home match against them since: being, indeed, so capable a player of the game that most people were grieved (and some aggrieved) when, on W.G. Grace's retirement from big matches, he was not called upon to captain the English Eleven."

Chromolithograph c1902 after a caricature by ‘Spy’ Leslie Ward (1851-1922) for Vanity Fair, a weekly magazine of social comment, published in London from 1868 to 1914 - each with one full page caricature of someone newsworthy. It became a mark of honour to be the 'victim' of the caricaturists. Thomas Gibson Bowles, who was publisher, editor, and major contributing journalist, accompanied each caricature lithograph with a witty text, written the pseudonym 'Jehu Junior' (after the biblical prophet who effected the downfall of his enemies). Printed by the eminent lithographer, Vincent Brooks (1814-1885), this was the first time lithography was used for caricatures.

Vanity Fair pages varied slightly in size between editions. This page is 380 x 260mm (15.3/4 x 10.5/8 inches). Image measures 320 x 190mm (12.1/2 x 7.1/2 inches)