Art Institute of Chicago

Oscar Wilde and Whistler

Philip William May

Date

1894

Medium

Pen and black ink, with black crayon and touches of blue crayon, on ivory laminate board

Culture

England

Department

Prints and Drawings

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

Phil May, a friend of Roussel and a member of the Chelsea Arts Club, contributed caricatures of actors, artists, and writers to London periodicals. The bold style and sharp wit of his drawings attracted a wide following, and his illustrations were also published in book form. This caricature of Wilde and Whistler was reproduced in Phil May’s Sketch-book , which was first issued in 1895. The caption refers to Whistler’s repeated assertions that Wilde plagiarized his ideas, accusations that ended their guardedly amicable relationship in 1890.

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