Leslie Ward ('Spy') — 'Washington Post,' 12 May 1904
Leslie Ward · Chromolithograph, Vanity Fair, 12 May 1904
Ward's profile caricature shows Sir Henry Mortimer Durand — British diplomat and then-ambassador to Washington — rendered in the exaggerated but gentlemanly mode Vanity Fair reserved for establishment figures. He wears a black frock coat, riding boots with spurs, and a silk top hat; he carries a riding crop and brown gloves, signalling the horsemanship aristocrats prized. The caption 'Washington post' doubles as job title and mild pun. The face is gently inflated — prominent nose, walrus moustache — but the body language reads as assured rather than ridiculous. Ward's signature 'Spy' appears lower left. The overall impression is that Durand is a solid, old-school imperial servant: perfectly turned out, slightly stiff, entirely unironic.
About this artifact
- Creator
- Leslie Ward
- Date
- Chromolithograph, Vanity Fair, 12 May 1904
- Rights
- Public domain — free to view, share, and reuse.
- Restoration
- Digitally restored and hosted by ComicBooks.com.
Part of our mission to preserve and restore the public-domain heritage of the medium.