Eminent Victorian Cartoonists

The author of Eminent Victorian Cartoonists is Dr. Richard Scully, Associate Professor in Modern European History at the University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2531, Australia. The book, a "labour of love," published by The Political Cartoon Society, is a three volume comprehensive social and biographical history of the Victorian political cartoon from John 'H.B.' Doyle to Sir (John) Bernard Partridge. The three volumes are built to last; beautifully printed in solid boards with a sturdy slipcase.

To date the histories of the British Victorian political cartoon have focused rather narrowly on the gentlemen of Punch; a carryover from the class-dominated establishment snobbery that dictated the acceptable in literature, art and theater throughout the nineteenth century. A seat at the Punch Table was an entrée to high society and a distinguished knighthood. The young du Maurier looked forward to the day “when illustrating for the millions (swinish multitude) à la Phiz and à la Gilbert will give place to real art, more expensive to print and engrave and therefore only within the means of more educated classes, who will appreciate more.” 

Nibbling at the edges were the déclassé serio-comic journals, lower-class cousins of the "estimable Punch," embracing "the million" who sought entertainment by the penny or halfpenny: Judy, with her sideline in "Jolly Books", Fun, Moonshine, Figaro, Funny Folks, The Big Budget, Comic Cuts and Ally Sloper's Half-Holiday...

Eminent Victorian Cartoonists widens the scope of study with its emphasis on five of the best of the generally neglected political cartoonists, "The Rivals" of volume II; Matt Morgan, John Proctor, William Henry Boucher, John Gordon Thomson and Fred Barnard. An essential  game-changing reference book filled with insightful biography and caricature history.

Eminent Victorian Cartoonists

is available HERE

JKA

❦

The Cream of FUN

[1] cover by Frederick Barnard, c.1872.

E.M. Sanchez-Saavedra turned up the following squibs and cartoons from his ‘mouldy crypt.’ Fully titled The Cream of FUN. Selected and Arranged by Tom Hood. With Two Hundred and Fifty Pictures. It is undated but an internal advertisement refers to a pamphlet on wines for 1873, so that’s as good a clue as any. Tom Hood lived from 1835 to 1874. The cover is monogrammed by Frederick Barnard (aka Fred); the others seem to be by Barnard, John Gordon Thomson and ‘Fitz.’ There is a nice image of the crowds outside the Fleet Street offices of FUN monogrammed with a mirrored B and an arrow — definitely a puzzler as to the identity of this artist.

 

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

♦

Matt Morgan of FUN

[1] Fun, February 27, 1864.

MATTHEW SOMERVILLE MORGAN (‘Matt’ Morgan to his associates) was born in Camden town, London, on April 27, 1839 to a theatrical family. He studied scene painting in the studio of Telbin and Grieves and was employed at Drury Lane where his father led the orchestra in several theatres. He was taught drawing by the well-known engraver Thomas Hicks and Royal Academicians Absalom and Coxe Smyth. He married early in life and began working as a book illustrator before working as a traveling sketch correspondent for The London Illustrated News, traveling through France, Italy, Spain, and Algiers. He was in Africa in 1858 and covered the Franco-Prussian war in 1859. Morgan was a member of the Prince of Wales set.

[2] Fun, July 23, 1864.

Matt Morgan contributed volume covers, political cuts and ‘socials’ (technical term used for gag cartoons) to London Fun between 1862 and 1867 although he was not the only artist providing the big cuts.  

[3] Fun, Vol. IV, 1863.

In 1867 he was the sole cartoonist on The Tomahawk (‘A Saturday Journal of Satire’, 11 May 1867 - 27 Aug 1870), a satirical paper edited by Arthur À Beckett with the assistance of his older brother Gilbert À Beckett. Their father was the famous Gilbert À Beckett of Punch. Gilbert Jr. was a playwright. Morgan’s signature was a miniature tomahawk. The Tomahawk was similar to Punch but was mostly text with a one or two page color tinted woodcut in each twopenny issue. Matt Morgan was the first cartoonist on Judy (1867) at the same time he labored on The Tomahawk. Morgan was sole cartoonist for a Tomahawk spin-off, the monthly literary periodical Brittania (1869-1870).

[4] The Tomahawk, October 24, 1868.

Sir F.C. Burnand snidely recalled in “Mr. Punch”; Some Precursors and Competitors, that

‘…he made no secret of the fact that he went to Tenniel’s pictures for his models, and, as he said to me, “You couldn’t find better anywhere.” This was absolutely true. Matt also showed me what was his method of serving in statu pupillary to John Tenniel. He took one of his master’s cartoons, some tracing-paper and a pencil, – that was all. Then he got on the tracks of Tenniel’s lion and traced him; then he worked on Brittania’s lines in the same manner. Result – a Matt “Morganatic marriage” in artful cartooning.’

[5] The Tomahawk, May 9, 1868.

According to stories told by Morgan himself, two of his Tomahawk cartoons ran afoul of the Royal family, a ‘Brown Study’ showing the Scottish gilly, the Queen’s favorite servant, rumored to be Victoria’s lover, standing behind the throne of England, and another featuring the Prince of Wales as Hamlet following the ghost of George IV. Apparently these scandals necessitated Morgan’s banishment from the country. Morgan was not the author of the cartoons; the subjects were chosen by his employers. According to Richard Scully the truth was more mundane, Tomahawk went bankrupt (Morgan as well) and he had no choice but to accept Frank Leslie's timely offer of American employment. He may also have been running from a disgraceful affair with a Covent Garden actress.

[6] Matt Morgan in America, Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, November 8, 1873.

‘He then went to sunny Spain, and led a wild roving life with the gipsies. He sent some sketches to Frank Leslie, who at once recognizing their merit, and needing a man to beat Nast, sent for Matt. The latter reached New York by the first steamer, and strolling up to Frank Leslie’s publishing house, was met by John, the dignified English porter. Matt at that time was a curious sight to see. He wore Spanish pantaloons, loose and flowing and slit at the bottoms, a short gilt-spangled velvet jacket, a bright-colored scarf and wide brimmed sombrero. Several daggers and poniards hung from his belt, and his mustachios were fierce enough for a Rinaldo Rinaldini or bold buccaneer of the Spanish Main.’ – St. Louis Globe Democrat, March 30, 1876.

[7] Fun, July 9, 1864.

Whatever the truth of this Barnumesque newspaper account, Morgan found employment in America with Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper and Frank Leslie’s Budget of Fun. Leslie hired Morgan in August 1870 to replace the late William Newman (died July 1870).

[8] The Tomahawk, July 4, 1868.

Morgan left Leslie’s employ in 1875 and worked on stage scenery in New York. In 1880 he was engaged as manager by the Strobridge Lithographic Company in Cincinnati where he stayed until 1885 painting canvas dioramas and lithographic posters. He painted dioramas of Jerusalem, Pompeii and Christ Entering Jerusalem taken from a scene in the stage-play Ben Hur. At the time of his death he was working on scenery and decorations for the new Madison Square Garden. He founded the Matt Morgan Art Pottery Company and the Cincinnati Art Students’ League.

Matt Morgan was the chief political cartoonist for St. Stephen’s Review in London from January to August 1885. He was the first art director of and chief cartoonist for Collier’s Once a Week (1888-1889), later Collier’s Weekly.

[9] Fun, Vol. VI, 1864.

His work appeared in many illustrated newspapers including covers for the Dramatic Mirror Christmas Numbers. Morgan died June 2, 1890 at his residence at Lexington Avenue, New York, NY. He had been married twice and had sixteen children. He had married his second wife in the 1880's in Canada. His most famous child was Fred Morgan, political cartoonist for a quarter century on the Philadelphia Inquirer. Fred also contributed illustrations to Once a Week. Another son, Reginald Morgan, took a career as a scene painter and a daughter, Miss Bertie Morgan, drew caricatures for Truth, Life, and Once a Week.

[10] Matt Morgan, June 15, 1890.

[11] The Tomahawk,  December 26, 1868.

[12] The Tomahawk, August 8, 1868.

[13] Fun, April 2, 1864.

[14] Fun, endpiece, Vol. VI, 1864.

[15] February 22, 1888.

[16] Fun, June 25, 1864.

[17] Fun, March 19, 1864.

[18] Fun, July 2, 1864.

[19] Matt Morgan’s caricaturist daughter, 1890.

[20] The Tomahawk, October 26, 1867.

[21] Fun, March 26, 1864.

Further reading:

‘The Epitheatrical Cartoonist’: Matthew Somerville Morgan and the World of Theatre, Art and Journalism in Victorian London by Richard Scully, Journal of Victorian Culture Vol. 16, No. 3, December 2011, 363–384

Sex, Art, and the Victorian Cartoonist: 

Matthew Somerville Morgan in Victorian Britain and America, 

by Richard Scully, IJOCA (International Journal of Comic Art), 

Vol. 13, No.1, Spring 2011, pp.291-325.

Thanks to Richard Samuel West for corrections.

♦

Frederick Barnard and John Gordon Thomson of FUN

 

[1] February 7, 1877.

FUN began on September 21, 1861, in London and lasted until 1900, second in longevity only to Punch. The periodical was said by David Anderson to have been begun by ‘a speculative shopkeeper named M’Lean, who sold looking-glasses in Fleet Street.’ Mark Bryant, writing in History Today, says the founding editor was London playwright and actor Henry J. Byron. Thus, Thomas McLean or one of his sons was probably once the proprietor or printer. 

McLean was a Haymarket print publisher who began publishing in 1821. By 1830 he was publishing comic broadsheets consisting of cartoon vignettes by William Heath, Robert Seymour, and Charles Jameson Grant under the title McLean’s Looking Glass. Richard Scully, who provided much of the background information for this post from his own research, writes: ‘According to my records, the paper was printed by Charles Whyte (1861), MacLean (1861-65), Edward Wylam (1865-69), the Dalziel Brothers (1870-93), and M. Elton & Co. (1893-1900).’

[2] August 13, 1870. Fun cartoonist Frederick Barnard was replaced by John Gordon Thomson on September 10, 1870.

Anderson went on to name the first editors of Fun as ‘a Mr. Urquhart, with the assistance of a son of the proprietor.’ Tom Hood Jr. was the second editor followed by Henry S. Samson, proprietor and editor of the Referee. Richard Scully again: ‘The editorial succession was as follows: Henry J. Byron (1861 to 13 May 1865), Tom Hood, Jr. (20 May 1865 to Nov. 1874), Henry S. Sampson (5 Dec 1874 to 1878), Edward Dalziel (1878-93).’

Among the distinguished writers during Tom Hood’s time were George Augustus Sala, Ambrose Bierce, W.S. Gilbert, Francis Burnand, Tom Archer, William Brough, Tom Robertson and Clement Scott. This group of writers were known as ‘the Gang’ and met in a tap-room at Ludgate Station. Matt Morgan, Boyd Houghton, William Brunton, Paul Grey, J.F. Sullivan, Frederick Barnard, John Gordon Thomson and Wallis MacKay were some of the artists. 

“July 1868.- Amateur Morning Performance at the Haymarket, for the benefit of the widowed mother of Paul Gray, the artist, when a new burlesque written by the contributors to “Fun”, was produced, entitled Robinson Crusoe; or, the Injun Bride and the Injured Wife.” -Era Almanack, 1868.

[3] September 10, 1870. First Fun cartoon by John Gordon Thomson.

Frederick ‘Fred’ Barnard was born in London on May 16, 1846. Barnard was one of the few Victorian cartoonists to have his cartoons published in all the major London comic periodicals including Punch, Fun, and Judy (under Charles Henry Ross). In the 1880s he contributed to Ally Sloper’s Half-Holiday. During the 70s Barnard illustrated the works of Dickens for Chapman and Hall and painted portraits for the Royal family. In 1883 Chatto & Windus published Behind a Brass Knocker by Frederick Barnard and Charles H. Ross, engraved by the Dalziel brothers. Barnard died on September 28, 1896.

[4] January 8, 1870. Fun cartoon by Frederick Barnard.

Barnard’s succesor on Fun was John Gordon Thomson, who drew ‘big cuts’ (as Punch termed the central cartoons) for Fun from 1870 to 1893 when he was succeeded by Wallis Mackay. Thomson was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, on September 2, 1841, and had moved to London by the time he was 20 to work as a civil servant. Thomson contributed to Punch in 1861, The Graphic in 1870, and moved to Fun the same year.  He exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1878, illustrated books and magazines for Samuel Beeton and others. It’s presumed Thomson died sometime in 1911. 

[5] August 24, 1872.

[6] September 19, 1874.

[7] December 17, 1879.

[8] June 29, 1881.

[9] February 21, 1883.

[10] September 8, 1886.

[11] October 26, 1887.

James F. Sullivan of FUN

FUN, April 8, 1885

Illustrated Journalism. The Comic Paper. By J.F. Sullivan, Magazine of Art, Vol. 14, 1891

p. 416

p. 417

p. 418

p. 419

p. 420

FUN Almanac for 1888

The Strand, Vol. 10, Dec. 1895 — HERE.

WANTED! Yesterday’s Artist…

  
Q. The small illustrations above were recently donated to the archives of the Center for Cartoon Studies at White River Junction, Vermont. CCS would like to identify the artist if possible. Student archivist Cole Closser writes: “Each illustration is in ink, drawn very small on Bristol board, cut to (usually) 7.5 x 6 inches.” When signed, the cartoonist used initials, followed by the year composed. The initial seems to be an A but closer examination discloses a possible J as well, so it may read ‘A.’ or ‘J.A.’ The two samples here are dated 1862 and 1863.

The illustrations would have been drawn as a guide for reproduction by wood-engraving and most likely intended for a comic periodical or boys’ story paper. Punch, begun July 17, 1841, was at the top of the comic pile but was the hardest for an aspiring cartoonist to break into. Often one of the towering mainstays had to die before a cartoonist would be summoned to the Punch offices. Mediocre artists were only occasionally made use of.

The first issue of Punch’s rival Judy; or, the London Serio-comic Journal was not published until May 1, 1867. There was, however, one other paper which had a long life, although few of its cartoonists are remembered today, and that was Fun. It began on September 21, 1861 and lasted until 1900, second in longevity to Punch. At one time the entire run was available digitally but seems to have gotten lost in the memory hole. Google Books has the first volume available HERE.

Another possibility is The Comic News, a short-life weekly penny paper edited by H.J. Byron which ran from July 18, 1863, to May 14, 1864. These periodicals were the most prominent comic journals of the early sixties but there were a dozen fly-by-night comics (the Arrow, The Comet, The Earwig &c., &c.) published by seat-of-the pants publishers floating round London at that time.

When anyone has any suggestions or clues to the identity of the cartoonist we would greatly enjoy hearing about it in the Comments section. Thanks.