FROM THE WESTMINSTER REVIEW, Number 66.
An Essay on the Genius of Cruikshank.
First Edition of An Essay on the Genius of Cruikshank
London: Henry Hooper, 1840.
$300.00
In Stock
Item Number: RRB-148887
* Custom Clamshell Boxes are hand made by the Harcourt Bindery upon request and take approximately 60 days to complete
First edition of this essay highlighting George Cruikshank’s artistic skill and cultural significance in early Victorian Britain. Octavo, bound in three-quarters morocco by J. McDonald of New York with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt stamped facsimile signature of Cruikshank on the front panel, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers, tissue-guarded frontispiece, illustrated with 17 tissue-guarded black and white etched plates by George Cruikshank. In near fine condition.
An Essay on the Genius of Cruikshank, published in The Westminster Review in 1840, is an early critical appraisal of George Cruikshank’s artistic achievements and cultural influence. Written at a time when caricature was often dismissed as ephemeral or merely humorous, the essay situates Cruikshank’s work within a broader artistic and moral framework, praising his sharp political insight, his ability to capture the nuances of everyday life, and his growing reputation as a serious illustrator of literature. By highlighting his transition from biting political satire to celebrated book illustration, particularly his collaborations with authors such as Charles Dickens, the review both legitimizes caricature as a form of social commentary and cements Cruikshank’s position as one of the most significant visual commentators of early Victorian Britain.
An Essay on the Genius of Cruikshank.
$300.00
In Stock