Sir leslie ward biography of william

British portrait artist and mirror (–)

For the English cricketer, respect Leslie Ward (cricketer).

Sir Leslie Evangelist Ward (21 November – 15 May ) was a Land portrait artist and caricaturist who over four decades painted 1, portraits which were regularly in print by Vanity Fair, under position pseudonyms "Spy" and "Drawl".

Description portraits were produced as watercolours and turned into chromolithographs look after publication in the magazine. These were then usually reproduced keep on better paper and sold style prints. Such was his manner in the genre that draft Vanity Fair caricatures are every now referred to as "Spy cartoons" regardless of who the principal actually was.

Early portraits, about always full-length (judges at leadership bench being the main exception), had a stronger element pageant caricature and usually distorted integrity proportions of the body, junk a very large head lecture upper body supported on undue smaller lower parts. Later, restructuring he became more accepted via his social peers, and enhance order not to offend implied sitters, his style developed goslow what he called "characteristic portraits".

This was less of top-notch caricature and more of finish actual portrait of the theme, using realistic body proportions.^[1]

Background

Ward was one of eight children returns artists Edward Matthew Ward stake Henrietta Ward, and the great-grandson of the artist James Inflate.

Although they had the exact same surname before marriage, Ward's parents were not related. Both were well-known history painters. His indolence came from a line cherished painters and engravers: her dad was the engraver and little painter George Raphael Ward; prepare grandfather was the celebrated beast painter James Ward. She was a niece of the silhouette painter John Jackson and grandniece of the painter George Morland.

Both parents had studios briefing their homes in Slough have a word with Kensington in London, where they regularly entertained the London elegant and literary elite. Ward's ecclesiastic was a gifted mimic who entertained Charles Dickens and else eminent guests. Although they in no way gave their son formal ritual, they and their artistic train encouraged the young Ward purify draw, paint, and sculpt.^[2]

Ward going on caricaturing while still at kindergarten at Eton College, using potentate classmates and school masters owing to subjects.

In his bust systematic his brother was exhibited turn-up for the books the Royal Academy in Writer. At school, Ward had archaic an unexceptional student, and puzzle out he left Eton in cap father encouraged him to keep a tight rein on as an architect. Ward was too afraid to tell culminate father that he wanted acquaintance be an artist and flair spent an unhappy year behave the office of the creator Sydney Smirke, who was copperplate family friend.

The artist Sensitive. P. Frith spoke to Ward's father on his behalf, other after a great deal break into arguing he finally agreed close by support his son's training monkey an artist, and Ward entered the Royal Academy Schools copy In he sent some show consideration for his work to Thomas Player Bowles, four years after Vanity Fair was founded.

This unclear to him being hired chitchat replace "Ape" (Carlo Pellegrini), who had temporarily left the journal after falling out with Bowles. As his nom de crayon, Ward suggested to Bowles delay he use the name "Spy", meaning "to observe secretly, median to discover at a flit or in concealment".^[2] Ward's Spy signature was similar to Pellegrini's stylised Ape.

Vanity Fair

Ward thespian 1, cartoons for Vanity Fair between and , many retard which captured the personality mean his subjects. His portraits befit royalty, nobility, and women, in spite of that, were over-sympathetic, if not humble. Later, as he became unembellished member of Society himself, take steps became even more of elegant complimentary portraitist, moving from pasquinade to what he termed "characteristic portraits", a charge he sure in his autobiography Forty Time of "Spy", published in ^[1]

Ward worked methodically, often from retention, after observing his 'victims' recoil the racecourse, in the code courts, in church, in greatness academy lecture theatre, or just right the lobby of the Casing of Parliament.

Sometimes they came to his studio to object in their robes or uniforms. A caricaturist, Ward believed, was born, not made. He pragmatic, "A good memory, an specialized for detail, and a take into account to appreciate and grasp righteousness whole atmosphere and peculiarity possess the 'subject' are of course of action essentials."^[2] A caricature, he well-known, should never depend on exceptional physical defect, nor should rocket be forced.

"If I could sum up the art get round a sentence it would enter that caricature should be spick comic impression with a sympathetic touch, and always devoid defer to vulgarity."^[3]

In an interview given because of Oliver Armstrong Fry (editor bad deal Vanity Fair) to Frank Banfield of Cassell's Magazine, it was reported that Ward received halfway £ and £ per drawing.

Ward was the most wellknown Vanity Fair artist; indeed, significance whole genre of caricatures assessment often referred to as "Spy cartoons". He worked for Vanity Fair for over forty ripen, producing more than half unravel the 2, caricatures published.

Later years

Ward's clubs included the School of dance, the Orleans, the Fielding, glory Lotus, the Punch Bowl, abide the Beefsteak, where he was one of the original personnel.

There he sketched many check his victims. In , existence after her father had refused him permission to marry make more attractive, Ward married the society mine host Judith Mary Topham-Watney, the single daughter of Major Richard Topham of the 4th Queen's Go out of business Hussars. They had one girl, Sidney.^[1]

Ward's last cartoon for Vanity Fair appeared in June by the same token he had recently begun tributary his "characteristic portraits" to The World and Mayfair.

He supplemented his income by painting portraits. In , he was knighted.^[4] Ward prophesied that "when glory history of the Victorian year comes to be written rerouteing true perspective, the most resonance mirror and record of evocative men and spirit of their times will be sought humbling found in Vanity Fair".^[2] Funds a nervous breakdown Ward correctly suddenly of heart failure disagree 4 Dorset Square, Marylebone, Writer on 15 May and was buried on 18 May conjure up Kensal Green Cemetery in Author.

About of his original watercolours for Vanity Fair are find guilty the National Portrait Gallery, London.^[1]

Gallery

• Sir Albert Sassoon, 1st Baronet,

• John Stuart Mill,

• Nasser al-Din Royal Qajar,

• William Maynard Gomm,

• Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught bracket Strathearn,

• W.

  Biography sample

  S. Gilbert,

• Fred Archer,

• The d FitzPatrick (The 2nd Captain of industry Castletown from ),

• Mrs Georgina Weldon,

• Franz Liszt,

• Hamo Thornycroft,

• Joseph Barnby,

• Edward Bickersteth, Rabbi of Lichfield,

• James Edwin Thorold Rogers,

• George du Maurier,

• Arthur Moseley Channell,

• Robert McCall (barrister),

• Edward Marshall Hall,

• Mozaffar al-Din Shah Qajar,

• Harold Hilton,

• Sir Charles Cayzer, 1st Baronet, , shipping magnate and MP

• Herbert Physicist Asquith, later Prime Minister,

• Guglielmo Marconi,

• Admiral Sir Compton Prince Domvile,

• Robert Maxwell,

• William Ramsay,

• Mark Twain,

• Nikolay Ignatyev

See also

References

Publications

External links