A humorous comparison between the obese Daniel Lambert and Charles James Fox, the politician. Coloured etching by C. Williams, 1806.

  • Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830.
Date:
7 April 1806
Reference:
854i
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view A humorous comparison between the obese Daniel Lambert and Charles James Fox, the politician. Coloured etching by C. Williams, 1806.

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Credit

A humorous comparison between the obese Daniel Lambert and Charles James Fox, the politician. Coloured etching by C. Williams, 1806. Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0). Source: Wellcome Collection.

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Description

The Dictionary of national biography states that Daniel Lambert was "the most corpulent man of whom authentic record exists". He was born in the parish of St. Margaret in Leicester on 13 March 1770. After taking over his father's post as Leicester gaoler in 1791, his size and weight started to increase enormously. By 1793 he weighed 32 stone although he was very strong and active, only drank water, and slept for less than eight hours a day. In 1805 he resigned his post at the prison to turn his amazing stature to profit by exhibiting himself all over England. He died in Stamford at the Waggon and Horses inn on 21 July 1809 weighing 739 lbs. See further L. Fiedler, 'Freaks', New York 1978, pp. 128-129

Publication/Creation

[London] (50 Piccadilly) : S.W. Fores, 7 April 1806.

Physical description

1 print : etching with watercolour ; sheet 26.7 x 40 cm

Lettering

The two greatest men in England. ... ; C.W. ad vivum delt. et fecit. The lettering continues: "Danl. Lambert, who at the age of 36 weighed above 50 stone, 14 pounds to the stone -measured 3 yards 4 inches round the body, and 1 inch round the leg, 5 feet 11 inches high."

References note

British Museum, Catalogue of political and personal satires, vol. III, p. 485, no. 10550
Museum Dr Guislain Gent, Het gewichtige lichaam: over dik, dun, perfect of gestoord, Tielt: Lannoo, 2010, p. 99

Reference

Wellcome Collection 854i

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