SIR LESLIE WARD “SPY” (1851–1922) - RHODES THE SECOND
$295.00
Description
RHODES THE SECOND
Sir Abe Bailey (1864–1940)
Original Vanity Fair Chromolithograph — 9 September 1908
Men of the Day No. 1135
“Rhodes the Second”
Why “Rhodes the Second”?
Sir Leslie Ward — “Spy”
Artwork Details
Sitter: Sir Abraham “Abe” Bailey, 1st Baronet (1864–1940)
Title: Rhodes the Second
Series: Men of the Day
Publication: Vanity Fair
Publication date: 9 September 1908
Medium: Colour chromolithograph
Image: approximately 19 × 31 cm
Mount: approximately 38 × 52 cm
Presentation: Mounted as shown
An original Edwardian Vanity Fair portrait of the South African mining magnate, financier, politician and sportsman Sir Abraham “Abe” Bailey, 1st Baronet (1864–1940).
Drawn by celebrated Vanity Fair caricaturist Sir Leslie Ward, better known by his pseudonym “Spy,” the portrait was published on 9 September 1908 with the striking caption:
The National Portrait Gallery, London, holds this exact portrait in its Reference Collection and records it as Men of the Day No. 1135, a chromolithograph by Sir Leslie Ward.
The title refers to Bailey's prominence in the mining, financial and political world of southern Africa in the generation associated with Cecil Rhodes.
Bailey was a major South African diamond magnate, financier and politician, as well as a significant figure in cricket. The National Portrait Gallery records him under these occupations.
The association is particularly interesting for collectors because Vanity Fair had previously published Cecil Rhodes himself, also portrayed by Spy, on 28 March 1891.
Sir Leslie Ward was one of Vanity Fair's most prolific and recognisable portrait artists.
His portraits began as original artworks and were translated into chromolithographs for publication. The National Portrait Gallery catalogues the Vanity Fair series specifically as chromolithographs dating from 1869–1914.
That means the correct description for this piece is “original Vanity Fair chromolithograph,” rather than “hand-coloured engraving.”
Artist: Sir Leslie Matthew Ward (1851–1922), “Spy”