Charles Dickens 1868

Curator: Check out this striking lithograph from 1868. It's a caricature of Charles Dickens by Andrè Gill, published in "L'Éclipse." Editor: Wow, the immediate impact is quite striking! It feels satirical, almost grotesque, the way his features are exaggerated. The texture looks very expressive, especially in his beard. Curator: Gill was known for these types of satirical portraits. As for materials, the choice of lithography allowed for detailed lines and mass production. “L’Eclipse” was a prominent satirical magazine, and this print exemplifies how such publications engaged with contemporary figures like Dickens, effectively participating in political and cultural discourse. Editor: It's fascinating to think about the socio-political climate this print was created in, how celebrity was being consumed. I am really drawn to his huge head, filled with frizzy hair. Then, those enormous books practically jutting from his sides—clearly emphasizing his intellectual output as almost a burden or an overwhelming part of his being. Curator: Indeed. Dickens' fame was immense. This print likely critiques the industrial aspect of literary production—Dickens’ work ethic, churning out novels for mass consumption. The fact it's in a satirical magazine challenges high/low art divisions through mass dissemination. Editor: I see the critique of literary labor. How fascinating that such ephemeral material, created through this readily accessible process, captured not just the *likeness*, but the public perception, or perhaps misperception, of such a lauded individual. A kind of social commentary baked right into the print itself. Curator: Exactly. This piece reminds us that even depictions of literary giants are subject to market forces and social agendas. The production and consumption of imagery like this one were just as revealing about society as Dickens' own novels. Editor: Yes, reflecting on this lithograph gives us great insight, a visual time capsule into the social construction of fame and its place within the public sphere.