THE AGE OF ARTHUR SERIES

CruikshankвЂ™s work influenced many cartoonists and illustrators throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, making his career an apt milestone for the beginning of the Golden Age. Though Cruikshank had great success as an illustrator, he was primarily known to his contemporaries as a cartoonist.

THE AGE OF ARTHUR SERIES

Originally appearing in 1824, they were so popular that a second series was released in 1826. Today, scholars view George CruikshankвЂ™s illustrations for the previously mentioned GrimmвЂ™s German Popular Stories as the beginning of the Golden Age of Illustration.

Though many of his works, as well as those of other illustrators of the time, were heavily moralistic, works such as Edward LearвЂ™s Book of Nonsense and Lewis CarrollвЂ™s AliceвЂ™s Adventures in Wonderland illustrated by John Tenniel, helped to introduce children to the fantastical side of literature, showing them that books could be fun as well as educational. The arc of childrenвЂ™s literature and illustration begins in the late-18th century with George CruikshankвЂ™s illustrations for German Popular Stories, the first time that a popular author deigned to create artwork for a childrenвЂ™s publication. Despite their censorship, late-18th and early-19th century fairy tales and nursery rhymes were still more violent than an average Disney movie, as they were often laced with heavily moralist values aimed at scaring children into becoming submissive, well-behaved young people. Many fairy tales that we know today as being вЂњfor childrenвЂќ originated as gruesome tales more appropriate for adults. This newfound demand for books for children required authors and illustrators who were willing to create stories and illustrations solely for children, and this inspired artists in wholly new ways.Д«efore this creative enlightenment in childrenвЂ™s literature, publishers and disgruntled parents who couldnвЂ™t find anything suitable for their children to read, would often re-work and effectively censor fairy tales and nursery rhymes to present to their offspring. The Industrial Revolution also created a larger, wealthier middle class, meaning that more people than ever before could purchase books, not only for themselves, but for their children. Innovations in printing and engraving techniques meant that publications could be created faster and reach more people than ever before. Despite the impossible work conditions introduced during the Industrial Revolution and the hardship it brought to the working class, it also spurred many changes that led to the Golden Age of Illustration. With the rise of the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th century, workhouses and mass labor added to the high mortality rate as men, women, and children were forced to work long hours in physically demanding jobs. With the exception of children of nobility, there was no time for вЂњchildhood,вЂќ because the day-to-day activities were often necessary to stay alive. Children throughout history were often participating members of the household, assisting with daily chores which were commonly more labor intensive than making the bed or loading the dishwasher, in comparison with today. Though there were obviously children running around and playing for innumerable generations before the 19th century, the concept of вЂњchildhoodвЂќ was nowhere near as prevalent or as closely observed as it was by the Victorians. Home > Essays > ChildrenвЂ™s Book Illustrators in the Golden Age of Illustration ChildrenвЂ™s Book Illustrators in the Golden Age of Illustration Corryn KosikД¬hildrenвЂ™s Book Illustrators in the Golden Age of IllustrationДЄrthur Rackham, 'Come, now a roundel and a fairy song,' Act 2 Scene 2, A Midsummer Night's Dream,В William Shakespeare, 1908, pen-and-ink and watercolor drawing, 10 1/2 x 7'ДЄ common misconception is the idea that the Victorians invented childhood.

The age of arthur