Forty years of 'Spy'

by Sir Leslie Ward

MR GLADSTONE. 1887.

At the request of Mr. Bowles I went over to Dublin to make a special picture of Parnell and Dillon in Kilmainham Gaol. I had letters of introduction to both, and Parnell wrote to my hotel a very charming letter of acquiescence in answer to my request for an interview, which letter I greatly regret that I have had the misfortune to mislay. Then I received a second letter in which he informed me that he had heard that he would not be allowed to see me alone in prison, but that a warder would have to be present the whole time, and under the circumstance he was forced to decline my request. It was within the bond of my contract with Mr. Bowles that I should not be required to place the signature "Spy" on any drawing that was not the outcome of personal observation of the subject required, so I gave it up, and the Parnell-Dillon cartoon which appeared in Vanity Fair was from the clever imagination of Harry Furniss. I remember Parnell as a carelessly dressed man with good features, a fine head with a high forehead and eyes both striking and piercing, but not altogether pleasant in expression. I was in the law-courts when the Piggott case was on, and opposite to me was the celebrated Royal Academician, Philip Calderon, who was studying him with the intention of making a large picture of the court commissioned by the Graphic, but it was never finished or produced as a sketch.

When the Vanity Fair cartoons were put up for sale at Christie's the only one of my series (curiously enough) that failed to find a bidder was the drawing of Piggott, although it was one of my most successful studies, from a sketch as he stood in the witness-box.

Gladstone and Disraeli I drew in black and white, of course many years before, for the Graphic, and on subsequent occasions for Vanity Fair. As a careful observation of the movement of my subject is always necessary, one day in talking to Monty Corry I told him I was on the look-out for an opportunity to complete my study of his chief, whom I wished to observe at a distance sufficiently near and far to get his gait. He said that they would be leaving Downing Street for the House of Lords together at a certain hour, and he suggested that I should follow them or walk on the opposite side of the road. At the appointed time I was at my post and keenly watched them start, Disraeli leaning on Monty Corry's arm. As they strolled towards the House of Lords I followed along on the other side, mentally taking in their movements and completing my impression of the great leader and his secretary. Also at the request of Mr. Monty Corry, Disraeli's valet gave me an opportunity of inspecting the coat with the astrachan collar which seemed to hold a share in its owner's strong individuality, and from these observations I made the caricature "Power and Place" which appeared in due course in Vanity Fair, and was published in a special number.

That the character of the man may be seen in his walk I have frequently proved, though never more clearly than through the two most distinguished statesmen of their generation; Disraeli walked, or appeared to walk, on his heels as though he were avoiding hot ashes. In strongest contrast was the walk of Gladstone, who planted his feet with deliberate but most vigorous firmness as though with every step he would iron his strong opinion into the mind of the nation.

"DIZZY" AND "MONTY" CORRY (LORD ROWTON).

À propos of caricature and movement, Lord Arthur Hill presented some difficulty to the caricaturist because he was so charged with movement that he never appeared to pause for a moment. His leading feature was his stride which seemed, and was, of tremendous length. He also had a very long neck and a curiously flat head, and he always seemed to walk as though he saw a stout wall in front of him and was full of determination to get through it. My caricature is just one long stride.

Man's dress is very much more commonplace than it used to be, and nowadays clothes seldom help out the artist, but in the days of which I write the exaggerated styles or idiosyncrasies in some apparently trivial detail of male attire made all the difference in the world to the caricaturist, and many of the older peers, country squires and occasional eccentric gentlemen retained the old-fashioned habits of dress in spite of the wisdom or folly of fashion. Gladstone, of course, was the making of many caricaturists, the lion-like striking face in the setting of the high collar was a picture in ten thousand. I drew the "Grand Old Man" over and over again from sheer interest, his face had the strongest fascination for me. I watched it change with the years; and year by year the unusual collar grew less in dimensions and in importance to the caricaturist, as the character pencilled itself about the features of the wonderful old face.