Created by Catherine Golden on Sat, 01/27/2024 - 22:28
The Victorian illustrated book as it came into being, flourished, and evolved during the long nineteenth century. Developments in politics, industry, history, and culture impacted this hybrid art form. Our timeline will juxtapose key moments in British history and cultural with the publication of memorable illustrated books to demonstrate how this art form is a product of its age.
Oliver Twist, written by Charles Dickens, appeared serially in Bentley's Miscellany from February, 1837 to April, 1839 with illustrations by George Cruikshank
| Date | Event | Created by | Associated Places | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1837 to Apr 1839 |
Charles Dickens Publishes "Oliver Twist" Serially
Oliver Twist, written by Charles Dickens, appeared serially in Bentley's Miscellany from February, 1837 to April, 1839 with illustrations by George Cruikshank |
Catherine Golden | ||
| 1840 |
Queen Victoria takes the Throne Queen Victoria took the throne in 1840. Painting by George Hayter, 1843. |
Catherine Golden | ||
| 30 Dec 1865 to 30 Dec 1865 |
Birth of Rudyard Kipling Dec 30, 1865 – Rudyard Kipling is born in Bombay, India. The acclaimed English author, journalist and poet was born on December 30, 1865. He is best known for his novel, Kim, and for his short story collections, The Jungle Book and Just So Stories. Kipling’s work is loved world-wide and he received a Nobel Prize for his immense talent and creativity. |
Catherine Golden | ||
| circa. 1892 to circa. 1892 |
Deathbed Edition of Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" is Released Leaves of Grass (by Walt Whitman) is a very unique book of poetry, in that it was a collection that kept growing from its first version in 1855. Over the course of almost 40 years, Leaves of Grass expanded and matured from the root to become what it ended up becoming in 1892: an uncensored, unabridged collection of about 400 poems, some of which (like "Song of Myself") being epic in length. I feel that it's important to mention this book in the context of everything happening in 19th century literature and culture in regards to queerness because Leaves of Grass is rife with sublimated yet very overt queer imagery, especially between men. Oscar Wilde was also a big fan of Walt Whitman's, and they actually met in 1882. To quote Wilde: "the kiss of Walt Whitman is still on my lips." |
Michael Indovina | ||
| Nov 1893 to Apr 1894 |
Jungle Book Serial Publication Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book is published in periodicals! Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book is published within St. Nicholas Magazine, a popular American monthly children’s magazine. The Jungle Book was then published as a book in 1894. A second book, The Second Jungle Book, was published a year later in 1895. They contain stories with poems and songs that were inspired by ancient Indian fables. |
Catherine Golden |
