Death and Mr Pickwick
Era of Caricature
The Pickwick Papers emerged from traditions of graphic caricature. Robert Seymour is the main caricaturist featured in Death and Mr Pickwick, but a number of others appear in the novel.
James Gillray (1756-1815) is generally regarded as one of the greatest caricaturists of all time. Even today, newspaper cartoonists take inspiration from his works, and will sometimes draw modern politicians in Gillrayesque scenes , with the caption 'After Gillray'.
Thomas Rowlandson (1756 -1827) was a master of caricature, though he also drew pornographic prints. His creation Dr Syntax is thought to be the first cartoon "character" - that is, a person with recognisable features, who appears in many pictures.
The brothers Robert Cruikshank (1789 -1856), and George Cruikshank (1792-1878) , collaborated on the drawings for Pierce Egan's Life in London. The most famous drawing in this series showed an attack on a nightwatchman.
William Heath (1794-1840) is best known for creating The Glasgow Looking Glass, arguably the world's first comic book, although he also drew many single-image political caricatures, such as The Wellington Boot.
Robert Buss (1804-1875) is today primarily remembered for his unfinished work Dickens's Dream, which is probably the most famous image of Dickens in history.
Hablot Browne (1815-1882), was Charles Dickens's best-known illustrator - he worked on ten of the novels, including Bleak House and David Copperfield.
