Art, Myth & Old Masters · 19th century
€ 160
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Chromolithograph on cream paper. Light foxing in the margins; the image area is clean and well-defined. Colors remain strong with no fading. No tears or repairs.
Serjeant Buzfuz from Pickwick Papers – Kyd Character Print after Dickens, ca. 1889
This original chromolithograph depicts Serjeant Buzfuz, the bombastic barrister from Charles Dickens’s *The Pickwick Papers*, first published in 1836. Wearing his traditional courtroom wig and robes, Buzfuz is captured mid-speech, gesturing emphatically with one hand while the other rests open as if making a point of great (if inflated) importance. His exaggerated features and dramatic posture reflect Dickens’s satirical portrayal of legal pomposity and courtroom theatrics.
This character print was illustrated by Joseph Clayton Clarke, known by the pseudonym “Kyd,” an English artist (1856–1937) celebrated for his colorful and caricatured interpretations of Dickens’s many literary figures. The image was published by Raphael Tuck & Sons in their late 19th-century series “The Characters of Charles Dickens,” a popular collection of chromolithographic prints based on Kyd’s original watercolour drawings.
Printed at the Fine Art Works in London and distributed through Tuck’s international branches in London, Paris, and New York, the series brought Dickens’s beloved characters to life in vivid color. Serjeant Buzfuz is one of the more memorable satirical figures in the series, and Kyd’s portrayal perfectly captures his theatrical bluster and self-importance.
These prints were produced for collectors and literary enthusiasts and remain sought after today for their historical charm and artistic quality.
Condition report:
Chromolithograph on cream paper. Light foxing in the margins; the image area is clean and well-defined. Colors remain strong with no fading. No tears or repairs.
Framing tips:
This print looks excellent in a black or dark wood frame with a warm ivory mat. Ideal as part of a themed Dickens collection display or on its own as a humorous period character study.
Technique: Chromolithograph
Artist: Joseph Clayton Clarke ("Kyd")
Publisher: Raphael Tuck & Sons, London, Paris & New York
Date: Circa 1889
Sheet size: approximately 36.5 x 26.5 cm
Image size: approximately 27 x 18 cm
