Phil May
(1864-1903), Cartoonist and silhouette artistPhilip William ('Phil') May
Later Victorian Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter in 15 portraits
Artist of 20 portraits
Philip William May was a caricaturist. He was born near Leeds and was the son of an engineer who died when May was nine years old. May worked in a variety of jobs before moving to London, and shortly afterward to Australia, when he was seventeen. In Australia he found work with the Sydney Bulletin, and in just three years produced over 800 drawings for the Bulletin. On his return to London in 1892 May drew for the St Stephen's Review; his studies of the London guttersnipes and coster-girls rapidly made him famous. He became a regular member of the staff of Punch in 1896, and in his later years his services were retained exclusively for Punch and The Graphic.
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