Alfred James Vincent (9 February 1874 – 6 December 1915) was an Australian cartoonist born in

Launceston, Tasmania Launceston () or () is a city in the north of Tasmania, Australia, at the confluence of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River (kanamaluka). As of 2021, Launceston has a population of 87,645. Material was copied ...

. Alf Vincent contributed work to the ''

Melbourne Punch ''Melbourne Punch'' (from 1900, simply titled ''Punch'') was an Australian illustrated magazine founded by Edgar Ray and Frederick Sinnett, and published from August 1855 to December 1925. The magazine was modelled closely on ''Punch'' of Londo ...

'' from 1895, in 1896 succeeding Tom Carrington as feature artist. After many years of submitting work to the ''

Sydney Bulletin ''The Bulletin'' was an Australian weekly magazine first published in Sydney on 31 January 1880. The publication's focus was politics and business, with some literary content, and editions were often accompanied by cartoons and other illustrat ...

'', he joined their staff in 1898, as a replacement for Tom Durkin and remained there until 1915. He also contributed to ''The Bulletin''s sister publication, '' Lone Hand''. His work may be mistaken for that of his idol Phil May (1864–1903), a fact that was noted by several critics, including

A. G. Stephens Alfred George Stephens (28 August 1865 – 15 April 1933), commonly referred to as A. G. Stephens, was an Australian writer and literary critic, notably for ''The Bulletin (Australian periodical), The Bulletin''. He was appointed to that posit ...

and

Lionel Lindsay Sir Lionel Arthur Lindsay (17 October 187422 May 1961) was an Australian artist, known for his paintings and etchings. Early life Lindsay was born in the Victorian town of Creswick, into a creative family – he was the brother of artist Norm ...

. He was a member of the

Melbourne Savage Club Melbourne Savage Club is a private Australian gentlemen's club founded in 1894 and named after the poet, Richard Savage. Bohemian in spirit, the club was to bring together literary men, and those immediately connected or sympathising with li ...

from 1900 to 1915 and designed the club emblem. Along with Randolph Bedford, Vincent was instrumental in the Savage Club changing their articles to accept artists as members without payment of a joining fee. This resulted in most of Melbourne's leading

ale Ale is a Type of beer, type of beer brewed using a Warm fermentation, warm fermentation method, resulting in a sweet, full-bodied and fruity taste. Historically, the term referred to a drink brewed without hops. As with most beers, ale typicall ...

artists joining the Club in the early Twentieth Century. After some months of ill health, aged 41, he committed suicide by cutting his throat with a razor.

Sources

*McCullough, Alan, ''Encyclopedia of Australian Art'', Hutchinson of London, 1968, *Backhouse, Sue, ''Tasmanian Artists of the Twentieth Century'', Pandani Press, Hobart, 1988, * Williams, Graeme H., A Socio-Cultural Reading: the Melbourne Savage Club through its Collections, MA (thesis), Deakin, 2013

References

Australian cartoonists 1874 births 1915 deaths People from Launceston, Tasmania 1915 suicides Suicides by sharp instrument in Australia Suicides in New South Wales {{cartoonist-stub