Outlines Illustrative of the Journal of F****** A*** K***** . [wrapper title]

(Kemble, Frances Anne "Fanny") [Johnston, D. C.]

Verlag: Published by D. C. Johnston, Boston, 1835

8 etched plates. 8vo. The famous English actress Fanny Kemble came to America in 1832 and took the country by storm. In 1835, she first published her journal giving an account of her trip. This lively narrative describes her triumphant tour, her courtship by Pierce Butler of Philadelphia, and her marriage. Most of her observations are set in the large cities of the Northeast, particularly Philadelphia, but she went as far north as Boston, south to Washington, and on her honeymoon as far west as Niagara. "Fanny was young, still somewhat gauche socially, and she made many visitor's gaffes, criticizing the manners of Americans, their government, food, and intelligence, the looks and dress of the women, even the way their horses were trained [.] In 1835 she made her position in America difficult by publishing two volumes of her journal, detailing her introduction to America, which many of its citizens found hard to forgive, despite the dashes that partly concealed the names of those whom Fanny had encountered and dissected" (ODNB). Her Journal engendered the present work by American cartoonist David Claypoole Johnson (1798-1865), an artist known as the "American Cruikshank." Murrell notes that Kemble's "superficial and ill-considered observations which gave great offence" prompted Johnston to make "some caustic if not coarse 'illustrations' to it, and printed them with the appropriate texts" (Murrell, p. 138). As an artist, engraver, and lithographer, he produced numerous caricatures and political cartoons, many of which were considered too controversial for publication. Interestingly, the rear wrapper includes the following Note: "Persons possessing the Journal may render its pages more interesting and intelligible by 'cutting up' the following illustrations, and transferring them to their proper places. The dotted line surrounding each print, marks the size of the page, and will serve as a guide in the process of exscissorization." The William Reese copy of this work, in a modern binding and without the wrappers (although with a letterpress title) sold for $4788 at Christies New York, May 26, 2022 (lot 166). On Johnston, see: Stauffer, I:p.143; Hamilton, I:p.162; Murrell, History of American Graphic Humor, I:p. 103 Publisher's blue paper wrappers, stitched. Minor foxing and offsetting. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 373484

Bibliografische Details

Titel: Outlines Illustrative of the Journal of F***...
Verlag: Published by D. C. Johnston, Boston
Erscheinungsdatum: 1835
Einband: 8 etched plates. 8vo