Charles Darwin, in Vanity Fair

Date

30 September 1871

Identifier

A.H. Reed Collection, Heritage Collection, Dunedin Public Library

Type

Publisher

London: ‘Vanity Fair’ Office

Abstract

Vanity Fair was well-known for its chromolithographic caricatures of prominent figures. James Tissot’s image of Charles Darwin appeared in 1871, the year in which The Descent of Man was published. The accompanying article describes Darwin as ‘one of the most accomplished naturalists now in existence’, noting that ‘any theoretical structure that he builds upon his researches must be regarded with great respect’. While Tissot captures Darwin’s physical infirmities (note the pile of cushions, which signify his ongoing ill health), he does so gently, contrasting his subject’s physical frailty with the intense intelligence to be seen in his eyes.

Files

Cab 10- darwin.jpg

Citation

James Tissot, artist, “Charles Darwin, in Vanity Fair,” ourheritage.ac.nz | OUR Heritage, accessed December 26, 2024, https://otago.ourheritage.ac.nz/index.php/items/show/10827.