On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Draft title page for Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist

Drawing
ca. 1846 (made), 1846 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type
This is a preliminary drawing for the title page of the 1846 edition of Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist. The drawing is done in pencil and is sketchy in parts, giving an idea of the finished design rather than detail. The drawings around the edges illustrate the major scenes of the novel.

Design & Designing
The title page of the 1846 edition of Oliver Twist was a woodcut. Woodcuts were a popular form of print for use as book illustrations as they could be printed at the same time as the text. Cruikshank made at least two versions of the design for this title page. The department of Prints, Drawings and Paintings at the V&A has another version of this drawing.

People
Cruikshank and Charles Dickens were friends and Cruikshank illustrated a number of Dickens' books as well as the literary journal Miscellany, which Dickens edited. Cruikshank illustrated Oliver Twist when it appeared in serial form in Miscellany and when it was published in book form in 1838. A quarrel occurred between Dickens and Cruikshank, arising from a claim in John Forster's biography of Dickens that Cruikshank had played a major part in the development of Oliver Twist. Cruikshank had in fact influenced Dickens to alter his original concept for the character Oliver, by showing him sketches, and the setting, by taking him to London's slums.

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read Charles Dickens Charles Dickens (1812 – 70) was the most popular British novelist of the Victorian era, responsible for some of English literature's most iconic characters, including Ebenezer Scrooge, David Copperfield, Oliver Twist and Miss Havisham. The enduring appeal of his novels and short stories is...

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleDraft title page for Charles Dickens' <i>Oliver Twist</i> (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Pencil on paper
Brief description
Drawing, draft titlepage from Charles Dicken's Oliver Twist, by George Cruickshank, England, ca. 1846
Physical description
Drawing for the wrapper of the 1846 edition of Oliver Twist.
Dimensions
  • Unmounted height: 22.6cm
  • Unmounted width: 18.8cm
  • Unmounted height: 22.6cm
Dimensions checked: Measured; 10/10/2000 by PaperCons
Gallery label
(27/03/2003)
British Galleries:
Dickens called on George Cruikshank to illustrate a new serial edition of Oliver Twist in 1846 when the novel was already famous. The title-page and wrapper gave a visual r‚sum‚ of the plot to attract customers. Queen Victoria (1819-1901) found the novel 'excessively interesting'. Her advisor, Lord Melbourne (1779-1848), thought it depraved.
Credit line
Bequeathed by Mrs Cruikshank
Object history
Drawn by George Cruikshank (born in London, 1792, died there in 1878)
Subjects depicted
Literary referenceOliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Summary
Object Type
This is a preliminary drawing for the title page of the 1846 edition of Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist. The drawing is done in pencil and is sketchy in parts, giving an idea of the finished design rather than detail. The drawings around the edges illustrate the major scenes of the novel.

Design & Designing
The title page of the 1846 edition of Oliver Twist was a woodcut. Woodcuts were a popular form of print for use as book illustrations as they could be printed at the same time as the text. Cruikshank made at least two versions of the design for this title page. The department of Prints, Drawings and Paintings at the V&A has another version of this drawing.

People
Cruikshank and Charles Dickens were friends and Cruikshank illustrated a number of Dickens' books as well as the literary journal Miscellany, which Dickens edited. Cruikshank illustrated Oliver Twist when it appeared in serial form in Miscellany and when it was published in book form in 1838. A quarrel occurred between Dickens and Cruikshank, arising from a claim in John Forster's biography of Dickens that Cruikshank had played a major part in the development of Oliver Twist. Cruikshank had in fact influenced Dickens to alter his original concept for the character Oliver, by showing him sketches, and the setting, by taking him to London's slums.
Bibliographic reference
Victoria and Albert Museum Charles Dickens: An exhibition to celebrate the centenary of his death London: HMSO, 1970. P.86. Catalogue of the exhibition held at the Victoria and Albert Museum, June-September 1970.
Collection
Accession number
9995A

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Record createdMarch 27, 2003
Record URL
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