Last Resources an original ink sketch by Reginald Cleaver c1890-1910

[The Graphic] CLEAVER, Reginald. Last Resources [original ink drawing].
 
[London, c.1890s-1910].
 
Original pen and ink drawing on card (250 × 180 mm), signed lower left by Reginald Cleaver. Card lightly soiled and spotted with marginal handling marks, verso with pencil notations; image bright and unaffected, strong black ink lines well preserved.
 
A lively original artwork by Reginald Cleaver (1870–1954), one of the most prolific illustrators for The Graphic and other illustrated weeklies of the late Victorian and Edwardian era. The scene depicts pandemonium on the benches of the House of Commons, MPs resorting to the last expedient of using their top hats as weapons in a mass brawl. An inset vignette titled “Last Resources” shows two upturned top hats balanced on the arms of the Speaker’s chair, underscoring the absurdity of the melee.
 
Cleaver’s sharp line and keen eye for caricature made him a favourite contributor to The Graphic, particularly for satirical scenes of Parliament and public life. A spirited survival of parliamentary satire from one of the most respected illustrators of Britain’s illustrated press.