"Dissent" Vanity Fair caricature of Mr Samuel Morley, MP.,

by Cecioni, Adriano

Mr. Samuel Morley, MP, Vanity Fair caricature chromolithograph. 

The accompanying text comments of fitness for legislation.. "Philosophers and Statesmen are looked upon with distrust and sent about their business, a knowledge of History or of Philosophy is regarded as a sign of flightiness, and the nation has gone into the highways and byways to find middling-class men versed in book-keeping by double entry, whom it erects into legislators and on whom the hopes of the country are confidently reposed. Mr. Samuel Morley is an extremely decent specimen of the man of business turned man of government. ...His friends call him the Great Mogul, but there can be no doubt that he means well."

During six months of 1872, Adriano Cecioni worked as an artist for Vanity Fair.Vanity Fair was a weekly magazine of social comment, published in London from 1868 to 1914. With eight to ten pages each issue, Vanity Fair magazine's popularity was guaranteed with the inclusion of an amusing caricature, lithographed from a watercolour, parodying any newsworthy personage. Over the years of publication it became a mark of honour to be the 'victim' of one of the magazine's caricaturists. The publisher accompanied each with a witty text, written under his nickname of 'Jehu Junior' (after the biblical prophet who effected the downfall of his enemies). He considered the caricatures made grim faces more grim, grotesque figures more grotesque, and dull people duller by the genius of ‘Ape’" (Carlo Pellegrini, 1839-1889). It was the first time lithography had been used for caricatures. They were printed by the eminent lithographer, Vincent Brooks (1814-1885).

Page size 355 x 230 (14 x 9 inches). In good condition.