David Copperfield

Harry Furniss

1910

13.3 x 8.8 cm, framed

Dickens's The Personal History and Experiences of David Copperfield, The Charles Dickens Library Edition, facing X, the title-page.

In this visual overture, Furniss complements his usual engraved title-page, Characters in the Story, the first of the twenty-nine "original plates" of the collection's characters and situations, with another set of miniatures. Since the nexus of the many scenes and situations called forth in the thumbnails in the ink-and-wash character study is the figure of the half-dozing young writer, through this study of the artist Furniss is connecting the eponymous character and the author, then about thirty-seven years old. [Commentary continues below.]

[Click on image to enlarge it.]

Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham.

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