“A nice little fellow.” Vanity Fair caricature. Lithograph c1871.

$90.00

Statesmen. No.78. The Honourable Gerard James Noel, M.P.

"To say that Captain Noel is a very nice little fellow is to give the best reason why he should have been selected to fill the trying post of head Conservative "whip" in the House of Commons… The whip need not trouble himself with political principles, constitutional practice, the institutions of the country, or the national aspects of any measure… Captain Noel had already attracted notice in a famous regiment as a soldier, and he has earned even more approval now that he has retired into politics as the most urbane and reasonable of whips… even when he held the charm of patronage, he was as ready as he still is to admit the paramount claims of dinner and the urgent nature of private engagements."

Vanity Fair was a eight to ten page weekly magazine of social commentary, published in London from 1868 to 1914. The magazine's popularity was guaranteed by the inclusion of an amusing caricature 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 caricature with a witty text, written under his pseudonym, 'Jehu Junior' (after the biblical prophet who effected the downfall of his enemies). It was the first time lithography had been used for caricatures, and they were printed by the eminent lithographer, Vincent Brooks, Day & Son.

Page size 355 x 230 (14 x 9 inches).