George Cruikshank was born on the 27th of September 1792 in London, the son of Isaac Cruikshank, a leading caricaturist of the late 1790s. He began his career as his father's apprentice, following in the footsteps of his older brother Isaac Robert, who also became a caricaturist and illustrator. By the age of 31, in 1823, Cruikshank shifted his focus from caricature to book illustration, a move that would define his legacy. He illustrated the first English translation of the Grimms' Fairy Tales, published in two volumes as German Popular Stories, and his work quickly gained international recognition. Cruikshank was praised during his lifetime as the modern Hogarth, a title that reflected his ability to capture the social and political landscape of England with unparalleled detail and satire. His early career was marked by collaborations with William Hone, including the political satire The Political House That Jack Built in 1819, and the infamous anti-abolitionist piece The New Union Club, which satirized a dinner party organized by abolitionists with black guests. This piece, devised in collaboration with Frederick Marryat, is now viewed as one of the most racist prints of its era, highlighting the complex and often controversial nature of Cruikshank's work. Despite his early success, Cruikshank's career was not without its challenges. He received a royal bribe of £100 in 1820 for a pledge not to caricature King George IV in any immoral situation, a testament to the power and reach of his art. His work included a personification of England named John Bull, developed in conjunction with other British satirical artists such as James Gillray and Thomas Rowlandson. Cruikshank replaced James Gillray as England's most popular satirist, delineating Tories, Whigs, and Radicals impartially for a generation. His satirical material came from every public event, from wars abroad to the enemies of Britain, and he excelled in the weird and terrible, showcasing his versatility as an artist. His hostility to enemies of Britain and a crude racism are evident in his illustrations commissioned to accompany William Maxwell's History of the Irish rebellion in 1798, where his lurid depictions of incidents in the rebellion were characterized by the simian-like portrayal of Irish rebels. Among the other racially engaged works of Cruikshank were caricatures about the legal barbarities of the Chinese, the subject given by his friend, Dr. W. Gourley, a participant in the ideological battle around the Arrow War, 1856, 60.
Dickens and the Controversy
George Cruikshank's collaboration with Charles Dickens marked a significant chapter in his career, illustrating works such as Sketches by Boz in 1836, The Mudfog Papers from 1837 to 1838, and Oliver Twist in 1838. He also illustrated Memoirs of Joseph Grimaldi in 1838, which Dickens edited under his regular pseudonym, Boz. Cruikshank even acted in Dickens's amateur theatrical company, further cementing their friendship. However, the relationship between the two men soured over time, leading to a fierce controversy that would haunt Cruikshank's legacy. On the 30th of December 1871, Cruikshank published a letter in The Times claiming credit for much of the plot of Oliver Twist, a claim that sparked a debate about the true authorship of the novel. This was not the first time a Dickens illustrator had made such a claim; Robert Seymour, who illustrated the Pickwick Papers, had suggested that the idea for that novel was originally his. In his preface to the 1867 edition, Dickens strenuously denied any specific input from his illustrators. The friendship between Cruikshank and Dickens deteriorated further when Cruikshank became a fanatical teetotaler, opposing Dickens's views of moderation. This ideological divide highlighted the growing distance between the two men, as Cruikshank's personal transformation from a heavy drinker to a staunch advocate of temperance clashed with Dickens's more moderate stance on alcohol. The controversy over Oliver Twist and the subsequent rift between the two men underscored the complexities of their relationship, blending professional collaboration with personal differences. Despite the controversy, Cruikshank's illustrations for Dickens's works remain some of the most iconic images in Victorian literature, capturing the essence of the characters and settings with remarkable detail and emotional depth. His ability to bring Dickens's characters to life through his art contributed significantly to the popularity and enduring appeal of the novels.