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Thursday 25th February: Lots 1-491A
Friday 26th February: Lots 492-1040J
Lot 283

JOHN 'HB' DOYLE (1797-1868) THREE OF 'HB'S SKETCHES'

Note: John Doyle was born in Dublin and moved to London in 1822 where he initially worked as a portrait lithographer. In 1827 Doyle began publishing political prints anonymously. From 1829-1851 Doyle published his well-known Political Sketches series, signing his work with the initials "HB" to hide his identity. He was the paternal grandfather of Arthur Conan Doyle, who wrote of him "My father was the youngest son of John Doyle, who under the nom de crayon of "H. B." made a great reputation in London from about 1825 to 1850. He came from Dublin about the year 1815 and may be said to be the father of polite caricature, for in the old days satire took the brutal shape of making the object grotesque in features and figure. Gilray and Rowlandson had no other idea. My grandfather was a gentleman, drawing gentlemen for gentlemen, and the satire lay in the wit of the picture and not in the mis-drawing of faces. This was a new idea, but it has been followed by most caricaturists since and so has become familiar. There were no comic papers in those days, and the weekly cartoon of "H. B." was lithographed and distributed. He exerted, I am told, quite an influence upon politics, and was on terms of intimacy with many of the leading men of the day. I can remember him in his old age, a very handsome and dignified man with features of the strong Anglo-Irish, Duke of Wellington stamp. He died in 1868."
Estimate: £100 - £200
Hammer price: £100
Bidding ended. Lot has been sold.

'The State Cerberus', no. 360, depicting Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Bt (1788-1850), Prime Minister, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852), Field Marshal and Prime Minister and King William IV (1765-1837) as the three headed dog, coloured lithograph, 29cm x 36cm; 'New State Omnibus', no. 363, depicting John Bull, the fictitious epitomist of Englishness and British imperialism, Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Bt (1788-1850), Prime Minister, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852), Field Marshal and Prime Minister and King William IV (1765-1837), coloured lithograph, 29cm x 40cm; and 'The Vaux and the Grapes', no. 364, depicting Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux (1778-1868), Lord Chancellor, as a fox leaving the office of James Scarlett, 1st Baron Abinger (1769-1844), Chief Baron of the Exchequer, coloured lithograph, 27.5cm x 35cm (3)

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