An Essay On The Genius Of George Cruikshank (1840, first edition)

An early work by William Makepeace Thackeray

Author

Publisher

Printing Details

First edition in book form. Hardback, half-leather with marbled paper covered boards. 21.5 × 13cm, pp1–60, 15 + 1 plates, pp265–278pp, 30 pages of plates

Two works in one: An Essay On The Genius Of George Cruikshank (From The London and Westminster Review, No. LXVI, 1840) bound with Modern Wood Engraving (From The London and Westminster Review, No. XXVII, 1837)

Two works bound in one on the theme of wood engravings. The first piece is an early and anonymous piece by William Makepeace Thackeray as he forged a career in journalism, in which he recalls how Cruikshank’s caricatures were a central part of childhood joy and how reviewing them brings back a flood of youth. The essay works through a huge range of Cruikshank’s output, including his famous Comic Almanacks, fairy-tale illustrations, and his early etchings. It is illustrated with 17 full page plates (1 in the text, 15 bound in after the text), and one which appears to be from an original publication from 1832, perhaps replacing one missed from the binding (there are supposed to be 17). There are 49 woodcuts within the text. The essay opens with a bibliography of Cruikshank's works.

This is followed by a brief piece on 'Modern Wood Engraving' which is accompanied by 42 woodcuts on 30 pages, including the work of Tony Johannot (inc. Don Quixote), George Cruicksank, J J Grandville etc

Condition

Fair condition. The inner binding is weak at the start of the book, and there is wear to the joints. The leather is rubbed, and there is browning to some of the plates (at times quite heavy). However, with addition of the smaller plate in the Cruikshank work, it appears complete. A good reading copy.