Dickens and His Illustrators Part 33

BARNABY RUDGE'S PORTRAIT GALLERY.--During the serial issue of "Barnaby Rudge," Mr. W. Britain, 11 Paternoster Row, advertised on one of the weekly wrappers (August 28, 1841) a series of twenty "splendid engravings" by this artist, price twopence, but I have never seen them.

THOMAS SIBSON.

"SIBSON'S RACY SKETCHES OF EXPEDITIONS, FROM THE PICKWICK CLUB."--Ten etchings, with letterpress, demy 8vo, green ill.u.s.trated wrappers, price 2s. 6d. London: Sherwood, Gilbert & Piper, 1838. The design on the wrapper depicts d.i.c.kens standing on Mr. Pickwick's head, holding aloft an enormous quill pen, the pseudonym "Boz" appearing on his coat-sleeves." The above t.i.tle is printed on the wrapper, but on the t.i.tle-page it runs thus: "Sketches of Expeditions, from the Pickwick Club." The Preface reads as follows: "Originally the Pickwick Club appeared with four Ill.u.s.trations: but since Death chilled the life-depicting hand of poor Seymour, two Embellishments have disappeared, while eight pages of letterpress have been added. These papers, thus arranged, bursting as they do with incident, and intoxicated as they are with wit, must have come before the public without Ill.u.s.trations for many of their most striking scenes. Reader, were it not so, these Sketches had never seen the light of your eyes. The artist's hope is (may you find it not a vain one) that these humble efforts may afford some of the pleasure he enjoyed when imagining them.--11 Buckingham St., Portland Place, London. January 1st, 1838." A copy of this scarce work realised 18 at Sotheby's in 1895.

"ILl.u.s.tRATIONS OF MASTER HUMPHREY'S CLOCK."--Seventy-two etchings, issued during the publication of this work, 1840-41. Eighteen parts, each containing four plates, some with _remarques_. Impl. 8vo, green wrappers, price one s.h.i.+lling each part. Afterwards issued in two volumes.

London: Robert Tyas, Paternoster Row, 1842. Only seventy plates are mentioned on the t.i.tle-page and in the index. On some of the wrappers is a vignette of a clock, and on others we find a representation of Master Humphrey sitting on a chair. These plates are exceedingly scarce in the original parts as issued, sets having been catalogued at twenty-five guineas. Copies of some of the Sibson designs were etched by J. Yeager for contemporary publication in a Philadelphia edition of "Barnaby Rudge," together with similar _replicas_ of a few of "Phiz's" woodcuts which appeared in the authorised English edition.

F. STONE, A.R.A.

NICHOLAS NICKLEBY.--"Three Portraits of Kate Nickleby, 'Tilda Price, and Madeline Bray, from original paintings by Frank Stone, engraved [on steel] by Edward Finden, and published with the approbation of Mr. Charles d.i.c.kens." For the first Cheap Edition of "Nicholas Nickleby." Crown 8vo, green wrappers, price one s.h.i.+lling. Proofs on india-paper, 4to, one s.h.i.+lling each portrait. London: Chapman & Hall, 186 Strand, 1848. The engraved t.i.tles are as follow: "Kate Nickleby sitting for her Portrait," "'Tilda Price dressing for the Tea Party," and "Madeline Bray pausing in her Work."

(_See pp. 178-9_).

"STYLUS."

"THE d.i.c.kENS AQUARELLES. FIRST SERIES."--"Twelve Original Character Ill.u.s.trations of the Pickwick Papers." Portfolio, ill.u.s.trated boards. New York. J. W. Bouton, 1152 and 706 Broadway, 1888.

"THE d.i.c.kENS AQUARELLES. SECOND SERIES."--"Twelve Original Character Ill.u.s.trations of 'The Old Curiosity Shop.'"

Portfolio, ill.u.s.trated boards. Same publisher and date.

These inferior drawings are crudely coloured by hand, the name of each Character being written in the margin.

WELD TAYLOR.

NICHOLAS NICKLEBY.--"The Baron von Grogzwig." Lithograph, Impl. 8vo. "Sketches by Weld Taylor, No. 1." London: J.

Mitch.e.l.l, 33 Old Bond Street, N.D. In 1838 Weld Taylor reproduced by lithography the beautiful portrait of "Boz" by S. Laurence.

C. H. WALL.

MARTIN CHUZZLEWIT.--Four woodcuts, 8vo, green ill.u.s.trated wrapper, price sixpence. London: Hexall & Wall, 113 Strand.

NELSON P. WHITLOCK.

d.i.c.kENS ILl.u.s.tRATIONS.--"Twenty-four Original Sketches from the Writings of Charles d.i.c.kens." 4to. No publisher's imprint, N.D.

T. C. W.

"ILl.u.s.tRATIONS TO MASTER HUMPHREY'S CLOCK."--Four lithographs, ill.u.s.trating the first portion of the story.

Impl. 8vo. No publisher's imprint, N.D. Issued without a wrapper. Only two of these plates are signed (T. C. W.), and under each appears a descriptive quotation.

W. C. W.

PICKWICK.--Twelve woodcut portraits of "Pickwick"

characters, first published in "Sam Weller's Jest Book,"

issued in penny numbers, and afterwards in Nos. 48, 51, 52 of a weekly paper called _The Casket_ (Dec. 2, 23, 30, 1837) in twopenny numbers. London: Berger & Co., Holywell Street, and Piggott & Co., Fleet Street, 1837.

ANONYMOUS.

"ORIGINAL ILl.u.s.tRATIONS TO THE PICKWICK PAPERS."--Four parts, each containing four designs. Price 2d. each part. Small 8vo. Green ill.u.s.trated wrapper, depicting portraits of fourteen Pickwickian characters. London: W. Strange, Paternoster Row, N.D. [1847]. These woodcuts were intended for binding in the first Cheap Edition. On the wrapper of Part I. it is announced that the work would be completed in eight parts, and that four engravings would be issued monthly; but it is believed that the fourth part was the final one.

In 1838, a number of woodcut portraits of d.i.c.kens Characters were published in _The Penny Satirist_ and in _Cleave's Penny Gazette of Variety_ (_Late the London Satirist_), afterwards called _Cleave's Gazette of Varieties_. These woodcuts consist of a series of twelve "Portraits of Oliver Twist" and twelve "Characters from 'Nicholas Nickleby,'" with descriptive quotations, &c., and were enlarged copies of the figures in the original etchings by Cruikshank and "Phiz." They were afterwards re-issued on a broad sheet, with the t.i.tle, "Cleave's Twelfth-Night Characters," and sold by J. Cleave, 1 Shoe Lane, Fleet Street.

In 1841, Cleave issued a work called "Parley's Penny Library," in which were introduced selections (in the form of dialogues) from "The Old Curiosity Shop" and "Barnaby Rudge," then in course of publication. They were ill.u.s.trated by means of wood-engravings, the majority of those in "Barnaby Rudge" being enlarged copies from "Phiz's" original designs.

These woodcuts (twelve in number) were also reprinted, with the t.i.tle, "Cleave's Gallery of Comicalities--Recollections of Barnaby Rudge."

On the wrapper of the fourth weekly number of "Master Humphrey's Clock"

(April 25, 1840) appears the following announcement: "Cheap ill.u.s.trations of Boz. Now publis.h.i.+ng, on a broad-sheet, nearly as large as _The Times_, price 2d. 'The Twist and Nickleby Sc.r.a.p Sheet,' with twenty-four engraved portraits. Also, price 2d., 'Sam Weller's Sc.r.a.p Sheet,' containing forty portraits of all the Pickwick characters. The above sheets are enriched with poetic effusions by A. Snodgra.s.s, Esq., M.P.C., and will be found worthy the attention of all who desire 'to laugh and grow fat;' they are alike fit for the sc.r.a.p-book of the mansion or the walls of the cottage." These scarce sheets were issued by Cleave, having doubtless first been published in his _Gazette_.

Certain dramatised versions of d.i.c.kens's stories, by E. Stirling and others (published by John Duncombe & Co., 10 Middle Row, Holborn), contain frontispieces etched by Findlay, which are worthy of the Collector's attention. Besides these, innumerable d.i.c.kens ill.u.s.trations have appeared from time to time, embracing every form of reproductive art. Calendars, relief sc.r.a.ps, booklets, &c, &c, both in colour and in black-and-white, are brought out by enterprising firms year by year, and merely to catalogue them would now be practically impossible.

NOTES ON SOME OF THE ARTISTS.

"ALFRED CROWQUILL."--The actual name of the artist who favoured this pseudonym was Alfred Henry Forrester. Born in 1804, he began his career as a draughtsman when eighteen years of age, distinguis.h.i.+ng himself rather by his correctness than by serious forms of ill.u.s.tration. At the death of Seymour in 1836, he competed with "Phiz," Thackeray, Leech, and others for the vacant post as ill.u.s.trator of "Pickwick," but without success. For a time he belonged to the staff of _Bentley's Miscellany_, and many of his etchings appeared in that journal during 1840-43. He was able to use his pen and pencil with equal facility and ability; in addition to this he was an admirable vocalist, and we are told that most of the Christmas pantomimes of his day were indebted to him for clever designs, devices, and effects. Forrester was also a member of the _Punch_ staff, where, owing to his happy and genial disposition, he was highly popular. Besides his "Pickwick Pictures," there are other designs by him possessing a d.i.c.kensian interest, viz., the ill.u.s.trations which he supplied to a curious production ent.i.tled "Pickwick Abroad; or, The Tour in France," which was launched by G. W. M. Reynolds in 1839.

"Alfred Crowquill" died in 1872, aged sixty-eight.

KENNY MEADOWS.--This clever draughtsman (who abandoned the use of his first Christian name, Joseph), was the son of a retired naval officer, and was born at Cardigan in 1790. He has been described as "the Nestor of _Punch's_ staff," and not only did he contribute many humorous designs to the pages of the Fleet Street journal during the 'forties, but he frequently prepared elaborate drawings for the _Ill.u.s.trated London News_, in the early volumes of which may be found his most successful delineations. His representations of fairy subjects, although marked by mannerisms, were in great request. His work is hardly remembered in this generation, but to speak of Kenny Meadows "is to recall the typical art of the ill.u.s.trator and (such as it was) of the comic draughtsman of the first half of the century."

During his last years Kenny Meadows's services as an ill.u.s.trator of books were rewarded by a pension from the Civil List of 80 per annum.

He was a boon companion, a delightful _raconteur_ when at the club, and a jovial, roystering Bohemian when he left it. This generous and kind-hearted man died in 1874, when he had almost completed his eighty-fifth year.

It is worth recording that a highly-finished drawing, in pen and ink and sepia, of Ralph Nickleby, designed by Kenny Meadows as an ill.u.s.tration for his series of "Heads from 'Nicholas Nickleby,'" realised 7, 10s. at Sotheby's in 1893, the drawing being about twice the size of the engraving.

T. ONWHYN.--This artist, best known perhaps by his Extra Ill.u.s.trations to "Pickwick" and "Nicholas Nickleby," was the son of a bookseller in Catherine Street, Strand. He signed his d.i.c.kens etchings with a pseudonym, adopting in the one instance that of "Sam Weller, Junr.," and in the other that of "Peter Palette." Onwhyn also prepared several plates for "Valentine Vox" and other novels by c.o.c.kton. He occasionally contributed to _Punch_, but was more accustomed to the etching-needle than the pencil, his drawing on wood being hard and unsympathetic. This popular book-ill.u.s.trator died in 1886, having then relinquished drawing for a period of sixteen years.

The twelve plates etched by Onwhyn in 1847 to ill.u.s.trate the first Cheap Edition of "Pickwick" were intended for independent publication, to compete with the series of extra engravings by Gilbert; but before there was time to complete the necessary arrangements the set of etchings produced by him in 1837 were re-issued. This took the artist by surprise, and he therefore abandoned the idea of circulating the new designs. The plates were put aside, and their existence forgotten until 1893, when they were unearthed by the Onwhyn family, and subsequently purchased by Mr. Albert Jackson, of Great Portland Street, who published them in 1894.

"JACOB PARALLEL."--The etched ill.u.s.trations by this artist for "Master Humphrey's Clock" are decidedly crude, contemporary criticisms notwithstanding. Their publication was announced in a somewhat original manner on the wrappers of d.i.c.kens's work, when the latter was launched in weekly numbers. One of these advertis.e.m.e.nts begins thus: "A clock is of no use without hands! Then, buy 'Hands to Master Humphrey's Clock.'"

Concerning these curious ill.u.s.trations a contemporary critic punningly observed: "These 'Hands' are, upon the _face_ of them, a very _striking_ matter, and no clock ought to be _wound up_ without them.... They give the finish that was wanted to the 'Clock,' and the public will, we have no doubt, keep them going."

In 1840, a book was published in parts (by G. Berger, Holywell Street), ent.i.tled "Charley Chalk; or, The Career of an Artist," with ill.u.s.trations by "Parallel." These designs were declared to be "superior to many in 'Nickleby,'" while the volume itself was described by reviewers as "another 'Pickwick,'" and as "the only work fit to stand by the side of 'Boz.'"

F. W. PAILTHORPE.--This essentially humorous artist and etcher, who is still living, may be correctly designated the only survivor of the "old school" of book-ill.u.s.trators, as represented by Cruikshank and "Phiz."

Mr. Pailthorpe was a personal friend of the former, to whom he sometimes alludes as "dear old George Cruikshank," and doubtless this a.s.sociation with the famous designer considerably influenced the style and manner of Mr. Pailthorpe's work. Indeed, this seems obvious to any one who compares the many d.i.c.kens plates drawn and etched by him with similar designs by the ill.u.s.trator of "Sketches by Boz" and "Oliver Twist." A noteworthy feature of Mr. Pailthorpe's ill.u.s.trations for d.i.c.kens's works is that a limited number of impressions have been coloured by his own hand, and the designs so treated are, in that respect, reminiscent of John Leech's plates for "A Christmas Carol."

Mr. Pailthorpe, by reason of his unique position as the sole representative of the "old school" of book-ill.u.s.trators, has received commissions from publishers to copy the etched designs by other artists, in cases where the original plates have been lost or are otherwise inaccessible. He has thus reproduced "Crowquill's" "Pickwick"

ill.u.s.trations, the two cancelled designs by Buss for the same work, two of Onwhyn's ill.u.s.trations for "Nickleby," and, quite recently, the two etchings by Cruikshank for the Mudfog Papers; these _replicas_ have just appeared in the Gads.h.i.+ll Edition now being issued by Chapman & Hall.

CHARLES DANA GIBSON.--This young American artist, who has frequently contributed to a New York journal called _Life_, recently essayed to ill.u.s.trate d.i.c.kens by means of a series of cleverly-executed drawings representing some of the princ.i.p.al characters and incidents. The most satisfactory is his picture of the Pickwick Club, the portrait of Mr.

Pickwick himself being capitally depicted. There is a distinct individuality of style in Mr. Gibson's work, rendered for the most part in pen-and-ink, and marked by a simplicity of treatment which is eminently attractive and effective. Although great ability in draughtsmans.h.i.+p distinguishes all his drawings, it may be contended that he is not invariably fortunate in realising the novelist's conceptions.