“Our Critic among the Pictures” — from the 1864 “Fun”

No. 15 (Armitage). William S. Gilbert. Engraving. Fun (1864). Courtesy of the Suzy Covey Comic Book Collection in the George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida. Click on image to enlarge it.

“Ahab and Jezebel” (15), by Mr. E. Armitage, is a portrait of a leg from the shop at the corner of Crane-court, Fleet-street, with a diminutive body attached. King Ahab is meditating in the attitude that kings always assume when they meditate, and that superior woman Jezebel is whispering evil counsels into his ear. She is reposing on a beautiful tick mattress and pillow, but where is the pillow-case, Mr. Armitage? Don't say it’s at the wash.

The cartoon is signed with the initials “W.S.G.” at the lower left. This is the Gilbert of Gilbert & Sullivan fame who I assume also wrote the savage critical commentaries that appeared in the right column beside the picture and on the following page. (To read more of these commentaries, which parody periodical reviews of the Royal Academy and other exhibitions, click on the other individual items in the list below.) — George P. Landow

Criticism of individual paintings and the artist’s homepage

[You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the University of Florida library and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]

Bibliography

“Our Critic among the Pictures.” Fun. (14 May 1864): 83-84.

Last modified 4 October 2019