Fashions and Frights of 1829 (recto); Angels Ever Bright and Fair (verso) 1829

This sheet of sketches was made around 1829 by the British artist George Cruikshank, using graphite and watercolor on paper. Cruikshank was primarily an illustrator and caricaturist, and here we see him working through ideas, perhaps for a print. What interests me most is the immediacy of the graphite lines. You can feel the artist thinking, as he works out the composition. It is fascinating to consider the amount of labour and refinement involved in translating these initial ideas into the crisp lines of a finished engraving, ready for mass consumption. The use of watercolor adds another layer of texture and depth to the work. See how the washes create a sense of atmosphere, almost like a memory. Cruikshank’s sketch makes you wonder about the relationship between the spontaneity of the hand and the more calculated processes of printmaking. It is a reminder that even the most polished artworks have their origins in the artist’s studio, in the intimate dialogue between hand, tool, and material.