Prosperity [Mr. Lionel Lawson] 1876

James Tissot created this caricature of Mr. Lionel Lawson using watercolor on paper. It reflects a moment of Britain's Gilded Age, when financial prosperity created a class of people, like Lawson, who were more interested in displays of wealth than in participating in the production of it. In this image, visual codes create meaning by associating Lawson with wealth and privilege. The formal dress and the proud, arrogant stance are visual indicators of his social standing. Lawson was the owner of the Daily Telegraph. The Telegraph's institutional history reflects how wealthy people controlled information, deciding what would be published for public consumption. Tissot critiques this culture of wealth, portraying Lawson as a caricature of the upper class: someone more interested in appearances than in genuine social progress. Further research into Lawson's biography, including historical archives and newspaper articles, could reveal the broader societal impact of men like Lawson in shaping Victorian England.