BY THURSTON. FROM BUTLER’S “HUDIBRAS” (BOHN).
Wood-engraving, unsigned.
If, up to 1830, England and France were in equal rank, so far as illustration went, for the next ten or fifteen years France utterly eclipsed her earlier rival. In 1833 appeared the "Gil Blas"[8] of Gigoux, containing hundreds of drawings, which all Frenchmen, I believe, consider to be the illustrated book of the period. To Gigoux, Daniel Vierge owes more probably than he would care to acknowledge; while Gigoux himself is founded on Goya. In 1838, however, was issued a book which, in drawing, engraving, and printing, completely outdistanced anything that had heretofore appeared in England or in France: Curmer's edition of "Paul et Virginie," dedicated by a grateful publisher, "Aux artistes qui ont élevé ce monument typographique à la mémoire de J. H. Bernardin de Saint-Pierre." These artists include the names of nearly everyone who was then, or soon became famous in French art. The book contains marines by Isabey, beautiful landscapes by Paul Huet, animals and figures by Jacque, and, above all, drawings by Meissonier, who contributed over a hundred to this story and to the "Chaumière Indienne," published under the same cover. All the best French and English engravers collaborated. Even the printing was excellent, for the use of overlays, made by Aristide Derniame, had begun to be fully understood.[9] The printers' name deserves to be remembered: Everal et Cie.
BY THURSTON. FROM BUTLER’S “HUDIBRAS” (BOHN).
Wood-engraving, unsigned.
BY THURSTON. FROM TASSO (BOHN).
Engraved on wood by Corbould.
After this, for some ten years, there was a perfect deluge of finely illustrated books. The "Vicar of Wakefield," with Jacque's drawings, Molière, "Don Quixote," "Le Diable Boiteux." Magazines, too, were brought out; the "Magazin Pittoresque," which had started in 1833, published in 1848 Meissonier's "Deux Joueurs," engraved by Lavoignat; in many ways this remains, even to-day, one of the best pieces of facsimile wood-engraving ever made. At that time it was simply unapproached anywhere. In "L'Artiste" and "Gazette des Entants," 1840, will be found many remarkable lithographs by Gavarni; but most of Daumier's works must be looked for in the cheaper prints, notably in "La Caricature," where also may be found, from 1830, in lithography the work of Delacroix, Monnier, Lami, and others.
FROM CRUIKSHANK’S “THREE COURSES.”
Engraved on wood by S. Williams.