Herald and playwright [James Robinson Planche]
1873
![Herald and playwright [James Robinson Planche] by Frederick Waddy, 1873](https://www.thequadro.com/api/storage/artworks/thumb/l/frederick-waddy/frederick-waddy_herald-and-playwright-james-robinson-planche_adb61210)
James Robinson Planche gets the giant-head treatment in this 1873 caricature, perched atop a massive book labeled 'DRAMA' while wielding a quill nearly as tall as he is. The tiny figure, wearing a sash that reads 'HERALD,' is surrounded by his own published works like 'British Costume' and 'Babil and Bijou,' highlighting his dual life as a prolific playwright and an officer of arms. It’s a clever visual pun: Planche is literally sitting on his dramatic legacy, supported by the very books he wrote. This print captures the Victorian love for caricature, shrinking a man of letters down to size while blowing up his intellectual contributions.
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