A Gallery Of Illustrious Literary Characters

Drawn by Daniel Maclise

Edited by William Bates

Published by Chatto And Windus Publishers: London c1874 (undated, likely 1st edition)

Features: Fine Leather & Gilt Bindings

"A Gallery of Illustrious Literary Characters (c.1874), drawn by Daniel Maclise and edited by William Bates, is a beautifully illustrated volume celebrating the leading writers, poets, and intellectual figures of the early nineteenth century. Based on Maclise's celebrated "Fraser's Magazine" portraits first published between 1830 and 1838, the book presents finely engraved caricature-like drawings of literary luminaries such as Charles Lamb, William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Lord Byron, each accompanied by insightful biographical and critical notes by Bates. The editor's commentary provides both affectionate tributes and sharp observations, situating each subject within the vibrant social and artistic culture of early Victorian London. Produced by Chatto and Windus in sumptuous gilt-tooled leather bindings, this likely first edition captures the intersection of art, wit, and literary history. Maclise's portraits, at once humorous and humane, form a vivid visual chronicle of Britain's literary elite, while Bates's essays transform the collection into a miniature history of Romantic and early Victorian thought. The volume reflects both nostalgia and reverence for an age of creative brilliance, serving as a testament to the enduring fascination with the personalities behind Britain's great literature."