Old Jew selling second hand hats

This pen and ink drawing by the cartoonist and illustrator Philip May depicts an old Jewish man selling hats, some of which are piled on top of his head. It is one of several characterisations by May in the Museum's collection and comes from the series 'London types: Whitechapel'.

In 1883 May came to London, where his political cartoons were published in the 'St. Stephen's Review'. He moved to Australia for three years to work as a leading cartoonist on a paper in Sydney before returning to London.

One of the leading draughtsmen of the genre, May contributed to numerous publications, including 'The Illustrated London News', 'Punch' and the 'Graphic'. He sympathetically depicted a range of subjects and was particularly interested in working London characters, such as charwomen, cabbies, shoe-cleaners and sellers. During the 1890s, May was elected a member of the New English Art Club.