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From the exhibition

Charles Hall, Q.C., M.P. — 'Charley'

Leslie Ward · Published 18 February 1888

Charles Hall, Q.C., M.P. — 'Charley'
Leslie Ward's chromolithograph portrays Charles Hall, Q.C., M.P. — nicknamed 'Charley' — in the caricaturist's characteristic full-length mode: a rotund, red-haired figure caught mid-stride, one hand tucked behind his back, wearing white-tie evening dress with a gold watch-chain glinting across the waistcoat. Ward exaggerates Hall's compact build and ruddy complexion while keeping the likeness recognisable to Vanity Fair's knowing readership. Hall was a Conservative barrister and Member for Cambridge who prosecuted several high-profile cases; the caption's breezy familiarity signals clubbable acceptance rather than satirical assault. No ethnic caricature is present. The plate is signed 'Spy' in Ward's usual lower-right hand, situating it squarely within the magazine's long run of legal and parliamentary worthies.

Leslie Ward Public domain