Art, Myth & Old Masters · 19th century
€ 140
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Chromolithograph on cream paper, some minor foxing in the margins. The print of Sam Weller remains vibrant and clean, with strong color retention. No tears or repairs.
Sam Weller from Pickwick Papers – Kyd Character Sketch after Dickens, ca. 1889
This richly colored chromolithograph shows Sam Weller, one of Charles Dickens’s most beloved comic characters, from The Pickwick Papers (1836). Sam Weller is portrayed in his classic cockney attire: striped waistcoat, jaunty hat, and bright red scarf, holding his hat box with a characteristic grin. This charming image was created by the illustrator known as "Kyd" – the pseudonym of Joseph Clayton Clarke (1856–1937), whose whimsical and vivid portrayals of Dickensian figures gained widespread popularity in the late 19th century.
QUOTE SAM WELLER:
"`We eats our biled mutton without capers, and don't care for horse-radish wen ve can get beef." (pickwick papers, chapter x)
The print comes from the series titled "Character Sketches from Charles Dickens" or "The Characters of Charles Dickens", published by Raphael Tuck & Sons in London, Paris, and New York. These prints were issued in sets during the 1880s and 1890s, featuring well-known characters from Dickens’s novels, each rendered in watercolour-style chromolithography after Clarke’s original illustrations.
The accompanying cover sheets from the set celebrate Dickens’s lasting literary impact and illustrate a collage of personalities from his novels, surrounding a seated portrait of the author himself. The text emphasizes the timeless and lifelike nature of Dickens's characters, describing them as “real flesh and blood” that continue to resonate with readers across generations.
Raphael Tuck & Sons, a prominent Victorian-era publisher of illustrated books and postcards, produced this series as both an artistic and literary homage to Dickens’s legacy. The plates were printed at the Fine Art Works in London and marketed internationally. These prints remain highly collectible for Dickens enthusiasts and lovers of late Victorian illustration.
Condition report:
Chromolithograph on cream paper, some minor foxing in the margins. The print of Sam Weller remains vibrant and clean, with strong color retention. No tears or repairs.
Framing tips:
Ideal for a traditional black or dark walnut frame with a white or light cream mat to echo the vintage aesthetic of the print. Displaying alongside other characters from the series makes for a wonderful literary-themed gallery wall.
Technique: Chromolithograph
Artist: Joseph Clayton Clarke ("Kyd")
Publisher: Raphael Tuck & Sons, London, Paris & New York
Date: Circa 1889
