A Leaf Out of Nicholas Nickleby with Slight Variations – Nicholas quits the Company – Theatrical Emotion of Mr. Vincent Crummles 1839

John Doyle created this lithograph, "A Leaf Out of Nicholas Nickleby with Slight Variations," in 19th-century Britain. It depicts a scene from Charles Dickens's novel, capturing Nicholas Nickleby's departure from Crummles's theatrical troupe. Doyle’s print offers insight into the cultural landscape of Victorian England, where literature and theater deeply influenced social life. The image reflects the popularity of serialized novels like Nickleby. Doyle worked as a political cartoonist for Punch magazine and, like many artists of his time, he understood the power of imagery to comment on social structures. The theatrical emotion of Mr. Vincent Crummles contrasts with the realities of the working world outside the stage. Doyle’s background allows us to examine the culture of celebrity and the commodification of art during the Industrial Revolution. The interpretation of this lithograph relies on an understanding of both literary and artistic contexts. Research into the social history of Victorian England enriches our understanding of art's meaning as contingent on its institutional context.