{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O77782"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O77782/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM3226/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM3226/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM3226","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O77782/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O77782","accessionNumber":"9995A","objectType":"Drawing","titles":[{"title":"Draft title page for Charles Dickens' <i>Oliver Twist</i>","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>This is a preliminary drawing for the title page of  the 1846 edition of Charles Dickens' novel <i>Oliver Twist</i>.  The drawing is done in pencil and is sketchy in parts, giving an idea of the finished design rather than detail.  The drawings around the edges illustrate the major scenes of the novel.<br><br><b>Design & Designing</b><br>The title page of the 1846 edition of <i>Oliver Twist</i> was a woodcut. Woodcuts were a popular form of print for use as book illustrations as they could be printed at the same time as the text. Cruikshank made at least two versions of the design for this title page. The department of Prints, Drawings and Paintings at the V&A has another version of this drawing.<br><br><b>People</b><br>Cruikshank and Charles Dickens were friends and Cruikshank illustrated a number of Dickens' books as well as the literary journal <i>Miscellany</i>, which Dickens edited.  Cruikshank illustrated <i>Oliver Twist</i> when it appeared in serial form in <i>Miscellany</i> and when it was published in book form in 1838. A quarrel occurred between Dickens and Cruikshank, arising from a claim in John Forster's biography of Dickens that Cruikshank had played a major part in the development of <i>Oliver Twist</i>.   Cruikshank had in fact influenced Dickens to alter his original concept for the character Oliver, by showing him sketches, and the setting, by taking him to London's slums.","physicalDescription":"Drawing for the wrapper of the 1846 edition of Oliver Twist.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Cruikshank, George","id":"A8303"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"pencil","id":"x30347"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing","id":"x32498"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pencil on paper","categories":[{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Books","id":"THES48986"},{"text":"Dickens","id":"THES252981"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2006AM3226"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"122C","id":"THES49223"},"free":"","case":"CA3","shelf":"8","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawing","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1846","earliest":"1841-01-01","latest":"1850-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""},{"date":{"text":"1846","earliest":"1846-01-01","latest":"1846-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by Mrs Cruikshank","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"22.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"unmounted","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"18.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"unmounted","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"22.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"10/10/2000","earliest":"2000-10-10","latest":"2000-10-10"},"part":"unmounted","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: Measured; 10/10/2000 by PaperCons","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Drawn by George Cruikshank (born in London, 1792, died there in 1878)","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Drawing, draft titlepage from Charles Dicken's Oliver Twist, by George Cruickshank, England, ca. 1846","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Victoria and Albert Museum <u>Charles Dickens: An exhibition to celebrate the centenary of his death</u> London: HMSO, 1970.  P.86. Catalogue of the exhibition held at the Victoria and Albert Museum, June-September 1970. "}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"annotations","id":"AAT26100"},{"text":"figures","id":"AAT189808"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens"],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nDickens called on George Cruikshank to illustrate a new serial edition of Oliver Twist in 1846 when the novel was already famous. The title-page and wrapper gave a visual r‚sum‚ of the plot to attract customers. Queen Victoria (1819-1901) found the novel 'excessively interesting'. Her advisor, Lord Melbourne (1779-1848),  thought it depraved.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["9995A"],"accessionNumberNum":"9995","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LP7775","2019LP2793","2019LU3527"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-11-18","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-27","availableToBook":false}}