"None But the Brave Deserve the Fair" – Mr. E. Landseer's admired Picture seen in a new point of view 1838

John Doyle created this graphite engraving, "None But the Brave Deserve the Fair," a satirical take on Edwin Landseer's painting of the same name. This piece emerges from a time of political unrest in England, during the early to mid-19th century, when there was a growing sense of nationalism and anxieties around social status. Doyle cleverly reimagines Landseer's idealized depiction of animal combat, injecting it with a biting commentary on societal hierarchies. Note the figures of the stags, their faces replaced with that of human political figures, locked in a battle for dominance, while the does in the background feature the faces of women from aristocracy. Doyle uses anthropomorphism not just for humor but to make a point about the often absurd and brutal nature of political ambition, class divides, and the expectations placed upon those in power. Through the lens of satire, Doyle invites us to consider how societal roles and expectations can turn us into caricatures of ourselves. The piece reflects the era's anxieties around power, gender, and the performance of social roles.