Theatre; Edwin O’Conner Terry (1905)

Leslie Matthew Ward prints bring you the famous Vanity Fair caricatures by "Spy", the witty portraits that defined Victorian and Edwardian society. Over almost forty years Ward drew 1,325 portraits of politicians, judges, writers, artists, jockeys and aristocrats, so well known that all Vanity Fair cartoons are often called "Spy cartoons". Our collection of fine art prints includes statesmen, sportsmen, artists and many more.

About Leslie Matthew Ward

Sir Leslie Matthew Ward was born in London on 21 November 1851, one of eight children of the history painters Edward Matthew Ward and Henrietta Ward, and great-grandson of the animal painter James Ward. He grew up among artists and writers, and his parents encouraged him to draw, paint and sculpt. He began caricaturing his classmates and masters at Eton, and in 1867 exhibited a bust of his brother at the Royal Academy.

His father wanted him to be an architect, and after an unhappy year in Sydney Smirke's office, the painter W. P. Frith persuaded his father to let him train at the Royal Academy Schools, which he entered in 1871. In 1873 he sent work to Thomas Gibson Bowles, founder of Vanity Fair, and was taken on to replace "Ape" (Carlo Pellegrini), choosing the pen name "Spy".

Between 1873 and 1911 Ward drew 1,325 cartoons for Vanity Fair, more than half of all the caricatures it published. He married Judith Topham-Watney in 1899, was knighted, and published his memoir Forty Years of "Spy" in 1915. He died in London on 15 May 1922.

Style and Subjects

Ward painted each portrait as a watercolour, which was reproduced as a chromolithograph in the magazine. His early figures are full-length, with a large head and upper body on smaller legs, a playful touch of caricature. Later he moved toward what he called "characteristic portraits", with natural proportions and a gentle wit.

He often worked from memory after watching his sitters at the races, in court, in church or in the lobby of Parliament. He believed caricature should be a comic impression with a kindly touch and never depend on a physical defect. The captions, such as "The People's William" for Gladstone, add to the fun.

Famous Works

• The Slave Trade (Sir Henry Bartle Frere) (1873), National Library of Wales. One of his first Vanity Fair portraits.
• Ambassador to the Porte (Sir Henry George Elliot) (1877), National Library of Wales. A diplomat drawn in full-length caricature.
• Sensational Art (Gustave Doré) (1877). The French illustrator caught in a few confident lines.
• A Symphony (James Abbott McNeill Whistler) (1878). The American painter, from his series of artists.
• The People's William (William Ewart Gladstone) (1879). The great Liberal prime minister.
• Tess (Thomas Hardy) (1892). The novelist, captioned with the title of his latest book.
• The Young Duke (The Duke of Portland) (1882). A racehorse owner from his many turf portraits.

Decorating with Ward Prints

Spy caricatures are classics for a study, library, home office or gentleman's-club-style den. Hang them in a long row or a tight grid in matching black, gilt or wood frames, grouped by theme: politicians, lawyers, artists or sportsmen.

Choose jockeys and racing owners for a games room or bar, judges and barristers for a lawyer's office, and writers and artists for a reading room. Their bright colour and white backgrounds sit well on dark green, navy or oxblood walls.

FAQ

Who was "Spy"?

"Spy" was the pen name of Sir Leslie Ward (1851–1922), the British portrait artist and caricaturist who drew 1,325 portraits for Vanity Fair between 1873 and 1911.

Why are Vanity Fair caricatures called "Spy cartoons"?

Ward was the magazine's most famous artist and drew more than half of its 2,387 caricatures, so the whole genre is often named after him, whoever the artist was.

How were the Vanity Fair prints made?

Ward painted watercolours, which were turned into chromolithographs for the magazine. They were then often reprinted on better paper and sold as prints.

Who did Spy replace at Vanity Fair?

He was hired in 1873 to replace "Ape", the Italian caricaturist Carlo Pellegrini, who had fallen out with the editor for a time.

Did Ward write about his work?

Yes. His autobiography, Forty Years of "Spy", was published in 1915.

Related Artists

• Carlo Pellegrini: "Ape", the Vanity Fair caricaturist he first replaced
• James Tissot: French painter who also drew caricatures for Vanity Fair
• Frank Arthur Nankivell: caricaturist of the same era
• Thomas Rowlandson: the great Georgian caricaturist of an earlier age