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Philip William May

Oscar Wilde and Whistler

1894
Pen and black ink, with black crayon and touches of blue crayon, on ivory laminate board
35.4 × 25.5 cm (13.9 × 10 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

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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