Corpulent Collection

Scene from The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens, 1836. Artist: Hablot Knight Browne
Scene from The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens, 1836. Mr Pickwick slides on the ice

Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 20, For Obesity, Indigestion, etc (b/w photo)
8658440 Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 20, For Obesity, Indigestion, etc (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Ideal Physical Culture)

Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 14, For Obesity (b/w photo)
8658435 Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 14, For Obesity (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 14, For Obesity)

Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 12, For Obesity (b/w photo)
8658432 Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 12, For Obesity (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 12, For Obesity)

Skimming stock for soup (b/w photo)
8657683 Skimming stock for soup (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Skimming stock for soup)

The dream to be slim, c.1930 (illustration)
8698345 The dream to be slim, c.1930 (illustration); (add.info.: Society. Lifestyle. Overweight woman looking slim in the mirror. Caricature, France, ca 1930.); © Archives Charmet.

Advertisement for slimming pills
5311979 Advertisement for slimming pills; (add.info.: Advertisement for slimming pills. Dated 19th century.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Chinese Budai: God of Contentment in Asia, Early Twentieth Century (engraved)
7485457 Chinese Budai: God of Contentment in Asia, Early Twentieth Century (engraved); (add.info.: Chinese Budai (Bu-Tai): god of contentment in Asia

Engraving depicting and elderly and overweight man walking up a steep hill, 19th century
5308587 Engraving depicting and elderly and overweight man walking up a steep hill, 19th century; (add.info.: Engraving depicting and elderly and overweight man walking up a steep hill)

There was an Old Person of Dean, who dined on one Pea and one Bean (coloured engraving)
8634367 There was an Old Person of Dean, who dined on one Pea and one Bean (coloured engraving) by Lear, Edward (1812-88) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: There was an Old Person of Dean)

Men pushing a fat man in the gymnasium (colour litho)
8656753 Men pushing a fat man in the gymnasium (colour litho) by Thiele, Carl Robert Arthur (1860-1936); Private Collection; (add.info.: Men pushing a fat man in the gymnasium)

Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 11, For Obesity (b/w photo)
8658437 Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 11, For Obesity (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 11, For Obesity)

Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 13, For Obesity (b/w photo)
8658434 Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 13, For Obesity (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 13, For Obesity)

Come just as you are to Yarmouth (colour litho)
8635543 Come just as you are to Yarmouth (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Come just as you are to Yarmouth)

Poor relation pays an afternoon call (colour litho)
8635668 Poor relation pays an afternoon call (colour litho) by Browne, Tom (1872-1910); Private Collection; (add.info.: Poor relation pays an afternoon call)

Emperor of India (b/w photo)
8655923 Emperor of India (b/w photo) by French Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Emperor of India. Postcard, early 20th century.); © Look and Learn.

Couple slipping on grease and falling into the water (colour litho)
8656721 Couple slipping on grease and falling into the water (colour litho) by German School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Couple slipping on grease and falling into the water)

May you be full of good things this Xmas (colour litho)
8656568 May you be full of good things this Xmas (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: "May you be full of good things this Xmas." Fat man)

Art in Whitechapel (litho)
8663022 Art in Whitechapel (litho) by May, Phil (1864-1903); Private Collection; (add.info.: Art in Whitechapel. Illustration for Sketches from "Punch" by Phil May (Punch)

The law and the profits (litho)
8663494 The law and the profits (litho) by Poy (Percy Hutton Fearon) (1874-1945); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Law and the Profits)

Phil May sketch (colour litho)
8635968 Phil May sketch (colour litho) by May, Phil (1864-1903); Private Collection; (add.info.: One of the set of Phil May Sketches, issued by Fry's Chocolates in c.1905.); © Look and Learn.

I can't think how I missed you (colour litho)
8677204 I can't think how I missed you (colour litho) by May, Phil (1864-1903); Private Collection; (add.info.: I can't think how I missed you. Duel between a fat man and a skinny man)

Perhaps one of these days you will look round (colour litho)
8677202 Perhaps one of these days you will look round (colour litho) by May, Phil (1864-1903); Private Collection; (add.info.: Perhaps one of these days you will look round)

Capital letters Plate in "Picturesque alphabet or New informative and picturesque alphabet", 1892 (engraving)
DUV4220469 Capital letters Plate in "Picturesque alphabet or New informative and picturesque alphabet", 1892 (engraving); 27x17.5 cm; (add.info)

Letter D: Big drum and soldier one to the other soda make a great D, 1861 (engraving)
DUV4214981 Letter D: Big drum and soldier one to the other soda make a great D, 1861 (engraving); (add.info.: "ABC Trim, Alphabet enchante" Texts of "Trim")

Capital letters Plate in "Picturesque alphabet or New informative and picturesque alphabet", 1892 (engraving)
DUV4220341 Capital letters Plate in "Picturesque alphabet or New informative and picturesque alphabet", 1892 (engraving); 27x17.5 cm; (add.info)

Women making 'working men's dinners' in a large cauldron, whilst a fat wealthy man looking
5615909 Women making 'working men's dinners' in a large cauldron, whilst a fat wealthy man looking on. 1863 (engraving); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Daniel Lambert. Portrait. (print)
7419946 Daniel Lambert. Portrait. (print); (add.info.: Daniel Lambert, 1770 - 1809. English. In his youth Lambert was a keen sportsman and outdoorsman)

The lack of comfort on railway transport
5308182 The lack of comfort on railway transport.; (add.info.: Cartoon commenting on the lack of comfort on railway transport - a skinny gentleman is squashed between other fat passengers)

Phil May sketch (colour litho)
8635939 Phil May sketch (colour litho) by May, Phil (1864-1903); Private Collection; (add.info.: One of the set of Phil May Sketches, issued by Fry's Chocolates in c.1905.); © Look and Learn.

A few cast off clothes (colour litho)
8635666 A few cast off clothes (colour litho) by Browne, Tom (1872-1910); Private Collection; (add.info.: A few cast off clothes. Postcard, early 20th century.); © Look and Learn.

I wish I were as hungry as you, Tommy (colour litho)
8656399 I wish I were as hungry as you, Tommy (colour litho) by Lewin, Frederick George (1861-1933); Private Collection; (add.info.: "I wish I were as hungry as you)

Large woman in her bathing costume (colour litho)
8656623 Large woman in her bathing costume (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Large woman in her bathing costume)

Overweight man sweating (colour litho)
8656582 Overweight man sweating (colour litho) by German School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Overweight man sweating. Postcard, early 20th century.); © Look and Learn.

Look what the seaside has done for me! (colour litho)
8656554 Look what the seaside has done for me! (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: "Look what the seaside has done for me)

Fat Men's Club on the Rue de la Folie Mericourt, Paris (b/w photo)
8664242 Fat Men's Club on the Rue de la Folie Mericourt, Paris (b/w photo) by French Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Fat and proud of it)

Rubbing fat into flour (b/w photo)
8657680 Rubbing fat into flour (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Rubbing fat into flour)

Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 23, For Obesity, Constipation Indigestion and Weak Abdominal Parts
8658445 Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 23, For Obesity, Constipation Indigestion and Weak Abdominal Parts, An Advance Movement on Exercise 16 (b/w photo) by English Photographer

Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 19, For Obesity, Indigestion, Constipation, etc (b/w photo)
8658443 Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 19, For Obesity, Indigestion, Constipation, etc (b/w photo) by English Photographer

Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 16, For Obesity, Constipation, Indigestion and Weak Abdominal Parts (b/w photo)
8658436 Ideal Physical Culture, Exercise No 16, For Obesity, Constipation, Indigestion and Weak Abdominal Parts (b/w photo) by English Photographer

Advertisement for Vigor's Horse-Action Saddle, Horse exercise at home, c.1895 (colour litho)
8634542 Advertisement for Vigor's Horse-Action Saddle, Horse exercise at home, c.1895 (colour litho) by English School

A big order (litho)
8663000 A big order (litho) by May, Phil (1864-1903); Private Collection; (add.info.: A big order. Illustration for Sketches from "Punch" by Phil May (Punch, 1903).); © Look and Learn.

Cartoon depicting the uncomfortable results of gluttony, 19th century
5309060 Cartoon depicting the uncomfortable results of gluttony, 19th century; (add.info.: Cartoon depicting the uncomfortable results of gluttony)

Bogus butter-making (print)
7419967 Bogus butter-making (print); (add.info.: Pedestrians react to the stink of a cart containing animal fat used by bogus butter-making in 19th century United States)

Henry VIII of England, 1549 (engraving)
7341618 Henry VIII of England, 1549 (engraving) by Massys, Cornelis (1508-80); 17.7x12.9 cm; National Maritime Museum, London

An endogenous figure courting a fat elderly widow, 1860 (engraving)
5616343 An endogenous figure courting a fat elderly widow, 1860 (engraving); Universal History Archive/UIG.

An overweight maid opening the front door of the house she works in. 1/1/1845 (engraving)
5616025 An overweight maid opening the front door of the house she works in. 1/1/1845 (engraving); Universal History Archive/UIG.

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In the vivid world of Charles Dickens' "The Pickwick Papers, " artist Hablot Knight Browne captures a scene that brings to life the corpulent characters who populate its pages. With meticulous detail, Browne's illustration transports us to a time when excess and indulgence were celebrated. Meanwhile, in Hannah Humphrey's depiction of the Twin Stars, Castor and Pollux, we witness celestial bodies shining brightly against a darkened sky. These heavenly figures seem to mirror the opulence found in the earthly realm below. A master builder named Crates takes center stage in an oil on canvas portrait from 1650. His robust figure exudes power and prosperity, reflecting an era where wealth was often equated with physical stature. Moving forward through time, we encounter a captivating painting depicting "The Feast of the Rich Man" from the 17th century. Here, gluttony reigns supreme as wealthy individuals indulge their insatiable appetites amidst lavish surroundings. As we explore further into this collection of images, a color lithograph catches our attention with its tongue-in-cheek message: "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach. " This humorous portrayal suggests that food holds immense power over even those most corpulent among us. An engraving from 1817 depicts Napoleon Bonaparte during his exile on St Helena. Despite his diminished circumstances, Bonaparte's imposing figure remains intact - reminding us that even fallen emperors can possess corporeal grandeur. Shifting gears slightly, we come across a vibrant color lithograph showcasing a fishmonger at work. The abundance of seafood displayed before him mirrors both his own prosperous trade and perhaps hints at personal indulgences as well. In another colorful lithograph titled "And passengers will pay according to their weights, " social commentary takes center stage. A rotund gentleman is humorously juxtaposed against an entire family - highlighting society's tendency to equate size with value.