What do you think?
Rate this book
Dickens and His Illustrators: Cruikshank, Seymour, Buss, "Phiz," Cattermole, Leech, Doyle, Stanfield, Maclise, Tenniel, Frank Stone, Landseer, Palme
The book has no illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Title: Dickens and His Illustrators: Cruikshank, Seymour, Buss, "Phiz," Cattermole, Leech, Coyle, Stanfield, Maclise, Tenniel, Frank Stone, Landseer, Palmer, Topham, Marcus Stone, and Luke Fields. With Twenty-Two Portraits and Facsimiles of Seventy Original Drawings Now Reproduced for the First Time; Original Publisher: London, Redway; Publication date: 1899; Subjects: Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870; Artists
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1903
About the author
F.G. Kitton
29 booksFrederic George Kitton was born in Norwich on 5 May, 1856, the son of a tobacconist and honorary Member of the Microscopical Society, Frederick Kitton, and his wife Mary Spence.
He was educated at a private school in Norwich and went to London at the age of 17 when he was trained as a draughtsman and wood engraver by Mr W L Thomas of 'The Graphic'. During his life many of his engravings appeared in newspapers, artistic journals and books.
He adopted literature as a profession, more especially that branch of literature concerned with the illustration of books. One of his earliest publications of this nature was a memoir of Hablot Knight Browne entitled 'Phiz' (1882). 'John Leech Artist and Humourist' followed in 1883.
But the most important work of his life was a study of Charles Dickens and he edited the Autograph edition of his works. Among his most important works on the author were 'Dickensiana' (1886), 'Charles Dickens By Pen and Pencil' (1889), 'Dickens and His Illustrators' (1893), and 'Charles Dickens His Life, Writings and Personality' (1902). And after reading a paper at the Inaugural Meeting of the Dickens Fellowship held in London on 5 November 1902, his paper was subsequently published as The Dickens Fellowship Publications No 2 entitled 'Dickens and His Illustrators' in 1903.
He also published a memoir of his father, Mr Frederic Kitton in 1895 and a centenary memoir of the musician Zechariah Buck in 1899. In addition he was a frequent contributor of both articles and drawings to the Art Journal and the Magazine of Art. He was also Honorary Secretary to the Hertfordshire Art Society from 1900 to his death and one of the honorary secretaries of the Hertfordshire County Museum.
He moved to St Albans in about 1883 living in Richmond Lodge, Church Crescent, but moving to Pre Mill House at some date after marrying Emily Eliza Lawford in 1890.
He died in London on Saturday 10 September 1904 following an operation.
Gerry Wolstenholme
July 2015
He was educated at a private school in Norwich and went to London at the age of 17 when he was trained as a draughtsman and wood engraver by Mr W L Thomas of 'The Graphic'. During his life many of his engravings appeared in newspapers, artistic journals and books.
He adopted literature as a profession, more especially that branch of literature concerned with the illustration of books. One of his earliest publications of this nature was a memoir of Hablot Knight Browne entitled 'Phiz' (1882). 'John Leech Artist and Humourist' followed in 1883.
But the most important work of his life was a study of Charles Dickens and he edited the Autograph edition of his works. Among his most important works on the author were 'Dickensiana' (1886), 'Charles Dickens By Pen and Pencil' (1889), 'Dickens and His Illustrators' (1893), and 'Charles Dickens His Life, Writings and Personality' (1902). And after reading a paper at the Inaugural Meeting of the Dickens Fellowship held in London on 5 November 1902, his paper was subsequently published as The Dickens Fellowship Publications No 2 entitled 'Dickens and His Illustrators' in 1903.
He also published a memoir of his father, Mr Frederic Kitton in 1895 and a centenary memoir of the musician Zechariah Buck in 1899. In addition he was a frequent contributor of both articles and drawings to the Art Journal and the Magazine of Art. He was also Honorary Secretary to the Hertfordshire Art Society from 1900 to his death and one of the honorary secretaries of the Hertfordshire County Museum.
He moved to St Albans in about 1883 living in Richmond Lodge, Church Crescent, but moving to Pre Mill House at some date after marrying Emily Eliza Lawford in 1890.
He died in London on Saturday 10 September 1904 following an operation.
Gerry Wolstenholme
July 2015
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 23, 2017
For anyone who wants a close-up look at the many illustrators that Dickens used throughout his career this is the book with which to start your reading. Kitton's study is both analytical and laudatory. There is no question about Kitton's enthusiasm for Dickens so if you seek a thoroughly objective and analytical text it is best to go elsewhere. However, it is hard not to enjoy Kitton's enthusiasm, his many references to the illustrators, their illustrations, and even the letters that went between Dickens and his illustrators.
The text is divided into chapters which highlight each illustrator in turn. Many anecdotes are told within each chapter. The fact that Kitton himself was an illustrator gives the book a stronger foundation. What I found very interesting is the fact that in the preparation and writing of this book Kitton contacted the later illustrators who were still alive. Thus, rather than relying on surviving letters and other sources of information the reader gets to read short extracts of what illustrators like Tenniel and Fildes remember about their encounters with Dickens.
The book I read was a reprint of Kitton's original work. The illustrations were poor but the text itself was completely clear. The front cover of the reproduction has Luke Fildes name spelt Fields (sic) but if you overlook these small annoyances the book is a delight to read.
For lovers of Dickens, this is a must read.
The text is divided into chapters which highlight each illustrator in turn. Many anecdotes are told within each chapter. The fact that Kitton himself was an illustrator gives the book a stronger foundation. What I found very interesting is the fact that in the preparation and writing of this book Kitton contacted the later illustrators who were still alive. Thus, rather than relying on surviving letters and other sources of information the reader gets to read short extracts of what illustrators like Tenniel and Fildes remember about their encounters with Dickens.
The book I read was a reprint of Kitton's original work. The illustrations were poor but the text itself was completely clear. The front cover of the reproduction has Luke Fildes name spelt Fields (sic) but if you overlook these small annoyances the book is a delight to read.
For lovers of Dickens, this is a must read.
April 11, 2024
Fred Kitton was one of the early Charles Dickens' scholars and he read 'Dickens and His Illustrators' at a meeting of the Dickens Fellowship in London on 5 November, 1902. The paper was so popular among Dickensians that the Dickens Fellowship published it as number two (of, sadly, only two) in their series of publications.
Kitton begins by telling us that Dickens once declared that he would have preferred his stories to be published without illustrations. If that had been the case, what a tragedy it would have been for many of the great illustrators of the day have been involved in producing illustrations for his work. And those illustrations have mostly enhanced his work.
It all began with one of the very greats, George Cruikshank, who had a free hand to illustrate Dickens' first book 'Sketches by Boz' and the artist's forcible designs did much to popularise the 'Sketches', which very quickly ran into many editions. And a book with which Cruikshank will be forever associated is 'Oliver Twist', particularly the etching depicting Fagin in the condemned cell, an illustration that was much admired by Thackeray, who by that time had been rejected as a possible illustrator for the Dickens' works.
Kitton tells the tragic story of Robert Seymour and the unfortunate Robert Buss, who was abandoned after producing two unsatisfactory illustrations for 'Pickwick'. But, of course, this led to the magical partnership of Boz and Phiz; Hablot Knight Browne adopted the latter pseudonym to match that of the author and they worked together for many years. Their partnership only ended when Dickens felt that Browne's powers were on the wane and when Browne felt that the author was exerting too much control over what the artist should produce. Whatever, an enterprising partnership all ended in tears!
The Christmas books had a variety of illustrators, one of whom, John Leech, had been considered early in Dickens' career but had been rejected, before Dickens settled on Marcus Stone, the son of his artist friend Frank Stone for 'Our Mutual Friend'. Finally for the unfinished 'Mystery of Edwin Drood' Dickens chose Luke Fildes as Stone had determined to give up book illustration in order to concentrate on his painting.
Kitton covers the whole saga of Dickens and his illustrators and he has the advantage over later writers on this topic in that he knew many of the personalities involved so there are plenty of interesting anecdotes about them spread through the well-illustrated pages of this paper.
In addition Kitton outlines those who were on the periphery of the main illustrators and those who followed on after Dickens had died; he calls them the "outside" illustrators and says that their names were legion. He cites Onwhyn, "Crowquill", Sibson, Kenny Meadows and Mr F W Pailthorpe and he also mentions the character studies by such as "Kyd", Joseph Clayton Clarke, and the "clever productions of that young trans-Atlantic artist, Mr C D Gibson". I must confess I never knew that Charles Dana Gibson had produced illustrations for Dickens.
He ends by pointing out that the writings of Dickens have always proved attractive material to the painter and the draughtsman and somewhat contentiously states that Mr Harry Furniss, himself a fine Dickens illustrator, had stated, 'Dickens has never yet been properly illustrated' - I wonder what Mr Browne would have had to say about that statement?
This is a most useful and informative volume about the subject, albeit a rather difficult one to find these days.
Kitton begins by telling us that Dickens once declared that he would have preferred his stories to be published without illustrations. If that had been the case, what a tragedy it would have been for many of the great illustrators of the day have been involved in producing illustrations for his work. And those illustrations have mostly enhanced his work.
It all began with one of the very greats, George Cruikshank, who had a free hand to illustrate Dickens' first book 'Sketches by Boz' and the artist's forcible designs did much to popularise the 'Sketches', which very quickly ran into many editions. And a book with which Cruikshank will be forever associated is 'Oliver Twist', particularly the etching depicting Fagin in the condemned cell, an illustration that was much admired by Thackeray, who by that time had been rejected as a possible illustrator for the Dickens' works.
Kitton tells the tragic story of Robert Seymour and the unfortunate Robert Buss, who was abandoned after producing two unsatisfactory illustrations for 'Pickwick'. But, of course, this led to the magical partnership of Boz and Phiz; Hablot Knight Browne adopted the latter pseudonym to match that of the author and they worked together for many years. Their partnership only ended when Dickens felt that Browne's powers were on the wane and when Browne felt that the author was exerting too much control over what the artist should produce. Whatever, an enterprising partnership all ended in tears!
The Christmas books had a variety of illustrators, one of whom, John Leech, had been considered early in Dickens' career but had been rejected, before Dickens settled on Marcus Stone, the son of his artist friend Frank Stone for 'Our Mutual Friend'. Finally for the unfinished 'Mystery of Edwin Drood' Dickens chose Luke Fildes as Stone had determined to give up book illustration in order to concentrate on his painting.
Kitton covers the whole saga of Dickens and his illustrators and he has the advantage over later writers on this topic in that he knew many of the personalities involved so there are plenty of interesting anecdotes about them spread through the well-illustrated pages of this paper.
In addition Kitton outlines those who were on the periphery of the main illustrators and those who followed on after Dickens had died; he calls them the "outside" illustrators and says that their names were legion. He cites Onwhyn, "Crowquill", Sibson, Kenny Meadows and Mr F W Pailthorpe and he also mentions the character studies by such as "Kyd", Joseph Clayton Clarke, and the "clever productions of that young trans-Atlantic artist, Mr C D Gibson". I must confess I never knew that Charles Dana Gibson had produced illustrations for Dickens.
He ends by pointing out that the writings of Dickens have always proved attractive material to the painter and the draughtsman and somewhat contentiously states that Mr Harry Furniss, himself a fine Dickens illustrator, had stated, 'Dickens has never yet been properly illustrated' - I wonder what Mr Browne would have had to say about that statement?
This is a most useful and informative volume about the subject, albeit a rather difficult one to find these days.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews