‘Portrait Sketches of Supposed Whitechapel Monster’ by an anonymous artist (original) (raw)

Portrait sketches of the supposed Whitechapel monster

1888

Wood engraving by an unknown engraver

The Illustrated Police News (20 November, 1888): detail of front cover

This is another version of the menacing foreigner, who is probably intended to be a Jew; the glaring eyes and curling moustache add to the concept of the Ripper as a melodramatic villain. [Commentary continues below.]

Image scan and text by Simon Cooke

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