Not Done With Pickwick

I’m not done with Pickwick yet.

On another dismally dank day I spent some time scanning the contents of

Here is the front cover

and here the title page.

The publishers have not dated the weighty volume, but Mr Reynolds’s illustrations are dated 1910. The book consists of extracts from Charles Dickens’s comic novel beautifully illustrated by another of my favourite artists.

I reviewed The Folio Society full version in yesterday’s post without revealing the story; I hope it will not give too much away by captioning each of these paintings with the title printed on the tissue protecting the tipped in chromolithographic plates. I will omit the explanatory lines that accompany these titles.

MR PICKWICK (Frontispiece)

MR TUPMAN, MR SNODGRASS, AND MR WINKLE

MR ALFRED JINGLE

ON THE ROCHESTER COACH

THE BULL INN, ROCHESTER

MR JINGLE ARRAYED IN MR NATHANIEL WINKLE’S SUIT

THE PICKWICKIANS SET OUT FOR DINGLEY DELL

MR WARDLE

SAM WELLER

MR JINGLE AND THE SPINSTER AUNT

MR PICKWICK UNDERGOES A TRYING EXPERIENCE

MRS LEO HUNTER’S PARTY

A PLEASANT DAY

MR PICKWICK’S ROMANTIC ADVENTURE

THE ELDER MR WELLER

MRS WELLER AND MR STIGGINS

MISS ARABELLA ALLEN

THE FAT BOY

THE PICKWICKIANS DISPORT THEMSELVES ON THE ICE

MR BOB SAWYER AND MR BEN ALLEN

MR SERJEANT BUZFUZ

SAM WELLER ATTENDS A SELECT SOIREE

MR JINGLE IN THE FLEET

THE UNTIMELY DOWNFALL OF THE REVEREND MR STIGGINS

This is what Wikipedia tells us about the artist:

‘Frank Reynolds (1876 in London – April 1953) was a British artist. Son of an artist, he studied at Heatherley’s School of Art.[1]

Reynolds had a drawing called A provincial theatre company on tour published in The Graphic on 30 November 1901. In 1906, he began contributing to Punchmagazine[1] and was regularly published within its pages during World War I, noted for his anti-Kaiser illustrations in Punch.[2] A collection of 199 of his illustrations is in the Punch archives.[3]

Peggotty and young David Copperfield, art by Frank Reynolds 1911

He was well known for his many illustrations in several books by Charles Dickens, including David Copperfield (c1911),[4] The Pickwick Papers (c1912) and The Old Curiosity Shop (c1913).[2] He succeeded F. H. Townsend as the Art Editor for Punch.[1]

He was also a prolific watercolour painter and was a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours from 1903. He continued to illustrate in black and white or in colours all his life. He became known in the 1930s and through the Second World War for characters called The Bristlewoods.[1]

One of his more notable works is entitled Jingle.’

This evening we dined on baked ham, creamy mashed potatoes; piquant cauliflower cheese, crunchy carrots, and tender runner beans with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2018.

71 comments

  1. Those illustrations are a delight! The title page makes me want to dance. I hope the weather improves.
    I was thinking about you and Jackie last night when I suddenly realized that the novel I’m reading is set in your part of the world. I mentioned it in my Monday post–it’s set in the 1930s, and it’s about a woman who joins the embroiders at Winchester Cathedral. She took a walking holiday and had to walk through New Forest–and met up with a Mr. Knight! 🙂

  2. Oh Derrick, you’ve certainly spoilt us today with so many photos of these magnificent drawings/paintings. And the Wikipedia addition is a informative footnote…After going through the prints a few times, my favourite is, ‘Mrs Leo Hunter’s Party’…..

  3. OH! These are amazing! Love the expressions on the faces. Mr Reynolds is a wonderful artist! Each illustration in the book is a masterpiece. Some of them made me go “aw”, some “OH!”, some “Yikes!”, and some made me giggle! 😀
    Thank you for teaching us about Mr. Reynolds! I enjoy learning about artists. 🙂
    HUGS!!! 🙂

  4. Derrick, thank you for sharing these beautiful and touching illustrations from the book. It’s interesting to learn more about the artist, Frank Reynolds and I’m not surprised he was so much in demand!

    Your dinner sounds delicious and is making me hungry …despite the fact I’ve just had breakfast! 😀

      1. Derrick, old books were piece of art. On top of contest they’ve been really well made. The cover, the paper, the illustrations made them look great. To hold them in the hands was a pleasure.
        Nowadays this kind of books is the treasure!

  5. Wonderful, expressive illustrations that really capture the emotions and feel of the various characters. Makes me want to read the book. I’ve only read “David Copperfield” and “Great Expectations.”

    1. They do, indeed – although Victoria hadn’t ascended when Dickens’s book was first published. One noticeable aspect to these illustrations is candlelight. Thanks very much, Liz.

  6. Excellent illustrations, quite realistic, yet with a touch of humor. I am familiar with Reynolds’ watercolors, but these illustrations with their vivid characterization are new to me. Thank you for sharing them, Derrick.

  7. The paintings are exquisite! They remind me so much of Norman Rockwell’s Saturday Evening Post illustrations. Very talented and under appreciated. Thanks Derrick!
    Rex

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