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Isaac Cruikshank (born 5 October 1764; bapt. 14 October 1764 1811) was a Scottish
painter Painting is a Visual arts, visual art, which is characterized by the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called "matrix" or "Support (art), support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with ...
and
caricaturist A caricaturist is an artist who specializes in drawing caricatures. List of caricaturists * Abed Abdi (born 1942) * Abril Lamarque (1904–1999) * Al Hirschfeld (1903–2003) * Alex Gard (1900–1948) * Alexander Saroukhan (1898–1977) * Alfre ...
, known for his social and political
satire Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of exposin ...
.


Biography

Cruikshank was the son of Andrew Crookshanks ( 1725 c. 1783), a former customs inspector, dispossessed for his role in the
Jacobite rising of 1745 The Jacobite rising of 1745 was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the Monarchy of Great Britain, British throne for his father, James Francis Edward Stuart. It took place during the War of the Austrian Succession, when the bulk of t ...
originally from
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
, and Elizabeth Davidson (born 1725), the daughter of a gardener. He was born on 5 October 1764 in Edinburgh, where he was
baptised Baptism (from ) is a Christians, Christian sacrament of initiation almost invariably with the use of water. It may be performed by aspersion, sprinkling or affusion, pouring water on the head, or by immersion baptism, immersing in water eit ...
on 14 October 1764. Isaac grew up in New North Kirk parish in Edinburgh after his family moved there. He was the youngest child, and was interested in all sorts of hobbies including sports and music. Isaac studied with a local artist, possibly John Kay (17421826). In 1783, Cruikshank left Scotland to travel to London with his master. There he married Mary MacNaughton (1769–1853) on 14 August 1788. The couple had five known children, two of whom died in infancy. A daughter, Margaret Eliza (18081825), a promising artist, died at the age of eighteen of
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...
. Their sons Isaac Robert Cruikshank (17891856), and
George Cruikshank George Cruikshank or Cruickshank ( ; 27 September 1792 – 1 February 1878) was a British caricaturist and book illustrator, praised as the "modern William Hogarth, Hogarth" during his life. His book illustrations for his friend Charles Dicken ...
(17921878), also became artists. Cruikshank's first known publications were etchings of Edinburgh "types", from 1784. His first caricature etching called ''Scotch Eloquence'' was of Edinburgh characters. He produced illustrations for books about the theatre, did the frontispiece for ''Witticisms and Jests of Dr. Johnson'' (1791), and illustrated George Shaw's extensive ''General Zoology'' (1800–26). His water colours were exhibited, but in order to make a living, he found it more lucrative to produce prints and caricatures. He was responsive to the marketplace but firm in his dislikes of
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
and Britain's home-grown political radicals, including, for example, the members of the London Corresponding Society and the Society of the Friends of the People. He and
James Gillray James Gillray (13 August 1756Gillray, James and Draper Hill (1966). ''Fashionable contrasts''. Phaidon. p. 8.Baptism register for Fetter Lane (Moravian) confirms birth as 13 August 1756, baptism 17 August 1756 1June 1815) was a British list of c ...
developed the figure of John Bull, the nationalistic representation of a solid British yeoman. His ''Olympic games or John Bull introducing his new ambassador to the grand consul'' and ''Boney at Brussells'' (both from 1803) contrast an implied European capitulation and British defiance under the threat of invasion. Near the start of his fame in 1789, Cruikshank produced several watercolours adapted from his earlier drawings, and was on exhibition at the Royal Academy. Publisher John Roach was a friend and patron. Cruikshank later also worked with print dealer S. W. Fores and Johnny Fairburn. He also collaborated with G. M. Woodward, and later, with his son George. (See also G.S. Tregear.) He also etched and designed lottery tickets and the song-heads of musical scores. Cruikshank died of alcohol poisoning at the age of forty-six as a result of a drinking contest, of which he was declared the winner. He is buried near his home in London.


Caricature prominence

During the late 18th century, there was propaganda due to political turbulence in Europe, in particular the French Revolution. The
British monarchy The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the form of government used by the United Kingdom by which a hereditary monarch reigns as the head of state, with their powers Constitutional monarchy, regula ...
was being criticized for debauchery during this time, as it was a period of economic hardship and debt. Political caricature and graphic satire became a prominent outlet for mass propaganda to express competing perspectives on political and economic issues. The revolution triggered feelings and expressions of patriotism towards artists' home countries which they depicted by shedding a grotesque light on their countries' enemies. Isaac Cruikshank, James Gillray, and
Thomas Rowlandson Thomas Rowlandson (; 13 July 1757 – 21 April 1827) was an English artist and caricaturist of the Georgian Era, noted for his political satire and social observation. A prolific artist and printmaker, Rowlandson produced both individual soc ...
were considered the leading caricaturists during this period, and they produced many popular sketches and graphics satirizing contemporary issues. These three prominent artists' distinct styles and subject matter became notable and widespread throughout Europe, although they also adapted and borrowed images from lesser-known artists. The three illustrators were sometimes considered rivals as their ideas often took opposing positions on important matters, despite sometimes collaborating on works. A common theme in all three artists' works was the portrayal of gluttony and cannibalism meant to represent the exploitation of the people by the monarchy, sparked by the effects on the economy of France of the Revolution. Their work, however, had to be published exclusively in Britain, as in France censorship laws were at an all-time high. In 1803 after France declared war on Britain, numerous patriotic prints resulted focused around support and strength for the British homefront. Cruikshank was one of the first to illustrate Napoleon as a negative caricature in his work ''Buonaparte at Rome Giving Audience in State'' (1797). In 1809, Cruikshank created ''French Generals Receiving an English Charge'' which largely attacked Prince Frederick, Duke of York for his scandalous affairs with Mary Anne Clarke during the time.


Legacy

A contemporary of
James Gillray James Gillray (13 August 1756Gillray, James and Draper Hill (1966). ''Fashionable contrasts''. Phaidon. p. 8.Baptism register for Fetter Lane (Moravian) confirms birth as 13 August 1756, baptism 17 August 1756 1June 1815) was a British list of c ...
and
Thomas Rowlandson Thomas Rowlandson (; 13 July 1757 – 21 April 1827) was an English artist and caricaturist of the Georgian Era, noted for his political satire and social observation. A prolific artist and printmaker, Rowlandson produced both individual soc ...
, Cruikshank was part of what has been called "the Golden Age of British Caricature." Some have called his work "uneven"Robert L. Patten,
Cruikshank , Isaac (1764–1811),"
''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography''. Ed. H. C. G. Matthew and Brian Harrison. (Oxford: OUP, 2004. 11 May 2007.)
but at its best, it provided a vivid insight into the cultural and political preoccupations of the British during the decades at the turn of the nineteenth century. He was an avid and skilled water colourist, and had a "keen sense of humour", although his achievements during his shortened life suffered from the greater successes and "more prolonged career of his gifted son." There are believed to be at least 345 prints created by Isaac Cruikshank between 1793 and 1800 that are in the
British Museum The British Museum is a Museum, public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is the largest in the world. It documents the story of human cu ...
's collection. E.B. Crumbier created a catalogue of around 1350 images that Cruikshank produced in his lifetime. In the
Huntington Library The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens, known as The Huntington, is a collections-based educational and research institution established by Henry E. Huntington and Arabella Huntington in San Marino, California, United State ...
, California, there is also a collection of his watercolour drawings. Cruikshank, like his son Isaac Robert Cruikshank and more famous son
George Cruikshank George Cruikshank or Cruickshank ( ; 27 September 1792 – 1 February 1878) was a British caricaturist and book illustrator, praised as the "modern William Hogarth, Hogarth" during his life. His book illustrations for his friend Charles Dicken ...
, was a pioneer in the history of comics through creating several cartoons which make use of narrative sequences and/or speech balloons.


Examples of his work

File:Isaac Cruikshank - No Grumbling - B1981.25.1230 - Yale Center for British Art.jpg File:Isaac Cruikshank - Bloody News, Bloody News^^^ - B1981.25.1186 - Yale Center for British Art.jpg File:Isaac Cruikshank - The Political Locust - B1981.25.1919 - Yale Center for British Art.jpg File:Isaac Cruikshank - A Peep at the Plenipo ^^^ - B1981.25.1314 - Yale Center for British Art.jpg File:Isaac Cruikshank - The Union Coach - B1981.25.1211 - Yale Center for British Art.jpg File:Jenner and his two colleagues seeing off three anti-vaccinat Wellcome V0011075.jpg File:The wedding night by Isaac Cruikshank.jpg File:1799-Belvoir-Castle-houseparty-Isaac-Cruikshank.jpg, "The Humours of Belvoir Castle -- or the Morning After", a 1 March 1799 English caricature engraving showing the aftermath of a night of upper-class debauchery at a large country mansion, marking the celebration of the owner's coming of age. File:Isaac Cruikshank - Consolation in the Gout - B1981.25.1349 - Yale Center for British Art.jpg File:Isaac Cruikshank - Cool Arguments^^^ - B1981.25.1274 - Yale Center for British Art.jpg File:Isaac Cruikshank - The Republican Soldier - B1981.25.1184 - Yale Center for British Art.jpg File:Isaac Cruikshank - The Modern Leviathan^^ - B1981.25.1303 - Yale Center for British Art.jpg File:Isaac Cruikshank - General Complaint - B1981.25.1097 - Yale Center for British Art.jpg File:Isaac Cruikshank - The Complaint - B1981.25.1115 - Yale Center for British Art.jpg


References


Sources

* * *


Further reading

*The British Museum, the Huntington Library in California, and The Houghton Library at Harvard University all have significant holdings of Cruikshank's work. *George, Mary Dorothy. ''Hogarth to Cruikshank: Social Change in Graphic Satire''. 1967. *Nygren, Edward J., ed. ''Isaac Cruikshank and the Politics of Parody: Watercolors in the Huntington Collection''. University of California Press, 2005. ; *Patten, Robert L..
Cruikshank , Isaac (1764–1811)."
''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography''. Ed. H. C. G. Matthew and Brian Harrison. Oxford: OUP, 2004. 11 May 2007.


External links


Cruikshank's work at the National Portrait GalleryConnected Histories: British History Sources, 1500-1900
This Jisc-funded web service provides federated searching of online historical resources for research. The web link provides access to primary sources which refer to Isaac Cruikshank. {{DEFAULTSORT:Cruikshank, Isaac Scottish illustrators Scottish editorial cartoonists Scottish caricaturists Scottish comics artists Scottish humorists Scottish satirists Scottish male painters Artists from Edinburgh 1764 births 1811 deaths Alcohol-related deaths in England