Illustration from “Great Expectations”
Few authors are as world-renowned as Charles Dickens. From Oliver Twist to A Tale of Two Cities, the 19th-century writer produced some of the most acclaimed novels that are still widely read and studied today. And while his work is now enjoyed in book form, it’s not how his stories were appreciated during the Victorian era. Instead, Dickens’ works were published in serialized installments, ranging from weekly to monthly. Accompanying his stories were detailed illustrations.
The Charles Dickens Illustrated Gallery has archived all of the original images featured in Dickens’ work throughout his creative career. Dr. Michael John Goodman, who is also the creator of the Victorian Illustrated Shakespeare Archive, had the idea to digitize the art from Dickens’ novels during the COVID-19 lockdown.
“The world of Dickens illustration is beset with poor reproductions of the source material, so for this project, I have searched out what I consider to be some of the best editions that feature the original illustrations printed to a decent quality,” Goodman explains. After collecting and scanning the images, he even cleaned them up in Photoshop, so that they look as crisp as possible.
Dickens collaborated with several illustrators during his lifetime, each with a distinctive style that complemented the story at hand. Instead of showcasing these works of art with Dickens’ text, Goodman chose to display each image on its own so it can be appreciated.
“In many ways, it is a call-back to the print shops and galleries of the 19th century, where illustrated prints would often be placed in the windows of these establishments, tempting potential customers to buy the latest installment of a novel,” Goodman adds. “Similarly, if this website encourages users to read more Dickens (or to further explore the work of one of the artists), then it has done a very satisfactory job.”
You can find all of the original illustrations on The Charles Dickens Illustrated Gallery’s website.
Few authors are as world-renowned as Charles Dickens.
Illustration from “The Pickwick Papers”
And while his work is now enjoyed in book form, it’s not how his stories were appreciated during the Victorian era.
Illustration from “David Copperfield”
Instead, Dickens’ works were published in serialized installments, ranging from weekly to monthly. Accompanying his stories were illustrations.
Illustration from “Oliver Twist”
The Charles Dickens Illustrated Gallery has archived all of the illustrations from Charles Dickens’ novels.
Illustration from “A Tale of Two Cities”
Illustration from “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”
Illustration from “Great Expectations”
Dickens collaborated with several illustrators during his lifetime, each with a distinctive style that complemented the story at hand.
Illustration from “Hard Times”
Illustration from “The Pickwick Papers”
These works are displayed sans text so that viewers can appreciate the images on their own.
Illustration from “A Tale of Two Cities”
The Charles Dickens Illustrated Gallery: Website
h/t: [Open Culture]
All images via The Charles Dickens Illustrated Gallery | Dr. Michael John Goodman.
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