Dickens and His Illustrators Part 20

_Lent by Mrs. Kate Perugini._

CLARKSON STANFIELD, R.A.

Apprenticed to a Heraldic Painter--Goes to Sea--Meets Douglas Jerrold--Scene-painting--Exhibits at the Royal Academy--Becomes Acquainted with d.i.c.kens--A Memorable Trip to Cornwall--The Logan Stone--Ill.u.s.trations for "The Chimes"--A Labour of Love--A Present and a Letter from d.i.c.kens--Ill.u.s.tration for "The Cricket on the Hearth"--A Quaint Epistle, signed "Henry Bluff"--Ill.u.s.trations for "The Battle of Life"--d.i.c.kens's Opinion of Stanfield's Designs--Ill.u.s.tration for "The Haunted Man"--Another Gift from d.i.c.kens to the Artist--A Drawing of the "Britannia"

Steam-ship--Private Theatricals--A Remarkable Act-Drop--Declining Health--Death of the Artist--d.i.c.kens's Eulogium--"The Most Lovable of Men."

First a sailor, then an artist and a Royal Academician, William Clarkson Stanfield acquired the reputation of being the greatest marine-painter of his time. Born in 1793, he was brought up to the sea, and at sea (curiously enough) was thrown into the companionship of Douglas Jerrold, who, like himself, was ordained to make his mark in a very different profession.

When about twelve years old Clarkson Stanfield was apprenticed to a heraldic painter in Edinburgh, but an intense longing for the career of a sailor resulted in his entering the merchant service in 1808. Four years later he was pressed into the Royal Navy, and while on board the King's ship _Namur_ in 1814 (where he first met Jerrold, then a midshipman), his talent for drawing was discovered, whereupon he was sent ash.o.r.e at Sheerness to a.s.sist in the painting and decoration of the Admiral's ball-room, his work giving so much satisfaction that he was promised his discharge from the Navy--a promise, however, that was not fulfilled. After another interval of three or four years he finally left the sea, having been temporarily disabled by a fall, and procured an engagement as scene-painter at the East London Theatre, for he had already essayed this branch of Art on board ship. So eminently satisfactory were his pictorial achievements in East London that he obtained a similar position at the Edinburgh Theatre, and thence, in 1822, in conjunction with his friends David Roberts and Nasmyth, he was employed in a like capacity at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. From that time his success in Art was a.s.sured.

Stanfield had already exhibited in the Royal Academy, and year by year his work in this and other Inst.i.tutions continued to excite interest and admiration, by reason of the simple truthfulness of all his representations. Usually, but not invariably, he preferred to depict scenes in which his nautical experience could be made available, and his natural gifts permitted him to combine with the genuine sailor-like feeling displayed in the treatment of his subjects a poetical sentiment which considerably enhanced the charm of his productions. In 1832 Stanfield was elected an a.s.sociate of the Royal Academy, and three years later he attained full honours. It will thus be seen that he had gained a very dignified position in the world of Art before even the name of Charles d.i.c.kens became known to the reading public,--as a matter of fact, the future novelist was at that date writing the earliest of those wonderful sketches which appeared under the _nom de guerre_ of "Boz."

Clarkson Stanfield, who was Charles d.i.c.kens's senior by about nineteen years, made the acquaintance of the novelist late in the "Thirties,"

when began those affectionate relations subsisting between the two distinguished men. "I love you so truly," observed d.i.c.kens to the artist, in a letter dated August 24, 1844, "and have such pride and joy of heart in your friendship, that I don't know how to begin writing to you." Two years previously Stanfield joined d.i.c.kens and his friends Forster and Maclise in their famous trip to Cornwall,--three memorable weeks, overflowing with enjoyment and fun; the artists made sketches of the most romantic of the halting-places, one of these being a drawing of the Logan Stone by Stanfield (now in the Forster Collection at South Kensington), where are seen the figures of himself and his three fellow-travellers.

[Sidenote: =The Chimes, 1845.=]

In 1844 d.i.c.kens conceived the idea of a second Christmas Book, "The Chimes," and what more natural than that he should desire to enlist the services, as ill.u.s.trator, of so skilled a draughtsman as Clarkson Stanfield? It was decided to depart from the plan adopted in regard to the "Carol," by engaging more than one artist, thus imparting an agreeable variety to the designs. Stanfield, eager to gratify his friend, did not require much persuasion to co-operate in the pictorial embellishment of the little volume, for which he provided two choice drawings, viz., "The Old Church,"--a faithful representation of the "old London belfry" of St. Dunstan's in Fleet Street,--and "Will Fern's Cottage,"--a pretty bit of landscape scenery, such as the artist knew so well how to depict. With these d.i.c.kens was charmed, and in a letter to his wife he said: "Stanfield's readiness, delight, wonder at my being pleased with what he has done is delicious."

Stanfield, it appears, would not accept payment for these drawings, preferring that they should be considered as tokens of friendship.

d.i.c.kens, however, could not pa.s.s over so generous an act without some acknowledgment, and this took the form of a silver claret-jug, which was presented (as the inscription records) "In Memory of 'The Chimes.'"

Accompanying the gift was the following letter, dated October 2, 1845, where allusion is made to the succeeding Christmas Story:--

"MY DEAR STANNY,--I send you the claret-jug. But for a mistake, you would have received the little remembrance almost immediately after my return from abroad.

" ... I need not say how much I should value another little sketch from your extraordinary hand in this year's small volume, to which Mac again does the frontispiece. But I cannot hear of it, and will not have it (though the gratification of such aid to me is really beyond all expression), unless you will so far consent to make it a matter of business as to receive, without asking any questions, a cheque in return from the publishers. Do not misunderstand me--though I am not afraid there is much danger of your doing so, for between us misunderstanding is, I hope, not easy. I know perfectly well that no terms would induce you to go out of your way, in such a regard, for perhaps anybody else. I cannot, nor do I desire to, vanquish the friendly obligation which help from you imposes on me.

But I am not the sole proprietor of these little books; and it would be monstrous in you if you were to dream of putting a scratch into a second one without some shadowy reference to the other partners, ten thousand times more monstrous in me if any consideration on earth could induce me to permit it, which nothing will or shall.

"So, see what it comes to. If you will do me a favour on my terms, it will be more acceptable to me, my dear Stanfield, than I can possibly tell you. If you will not be so generous, you deprive me of the satisfaction of receiving it at your hands, and shut me out from that possibility altogether. What a stony-hearted ruffian you must be in such a case!--Ever affectionately yours,

"CHARLES d.i.c.kENS."

[Sidenote: =The Cricket on the Hearth, 1846.=]

The "small volume" here alluded to was "The Cricket on the Hearth," for which Stanfield prepared one ill.u.s.tration, viz., "The Carrier's Cart."

[Sidenote: =The Battle of Life, 1846.=]

PLATE L

"WAR" AND "PEACE"

_Facsimile_ of the Original Sketches for "The Battle of Life" by

C. STANFIELD, R.A.

_Lent by Mr. Field Stanfield._

[Ill.u.s.tration]

To the fourth Christmas Book, "The Battle of Life," Stanfield contributed three beautiful little designs, representing respectively "War," "Peace," and "The 'Nutmeg Grater' Inn." Happily, I am enabled to present _facsimiles_ of the original sketches (very slight in treatment) of the first two subjects, through the courtesy of the artist's son, Mr.

Field Stanfield. The story was written at Lausanne, and, during d.i.c.kens's absence in Switzerland, Forster succeeded in enlisting Stanfield as one of the ill.u.s.trators as a glad surprise for the author, who, on being informed of the fact, wrote to his biographer: "Your Christmas Book ill.u.s.tration-news makes me jump for joy." Forster intimates that these "three morsels of English landscape," delineated by Stanfield, had a singular charm for d.i.c.kens at the time, who referred to the ill.u.s.trations altogether as by far the best that had been done for any of the Christmas Books. "It is a delight," he remarked concerning Stanfield's designs, "to look at these little landscapes of the dear old boy. How gentle and elegant, and yet how manly and vigorous they are! I have a perfect joy in them."

[Sidenote: =The Haunted Man, 1848.=]

The last of the Christmas Books, viz., "The Haunted Man," contains three ill.u.s.trations by this artist, viz., "The Lighthouse," "The Exterior of the Old College," and "The Christmas Party in the Great Dinner Hall." In the first subject, which is decidedly the most successful, Stanfield found a most congenial theme, for here his knowledge of sailors and of the dangers of the sea proved serviceable. With regard to his designs for these little annuals, it appears that the artist could not be prevailed upon to accept payment for them, d.i.c.kens's protests notwithstanding. He consequently became the recipient of another gift--a pair of handsome silver salvers, bearing the simple inscription, "Clarkson Stanfield from Charles d.i.c.kens," in recognition of his friendly collaboration, and these are now in the possession of one of the artist's sons.

[Sidenote: =American Notes, 1850.=]

There is another ill.u.s.tration by Stanfield to which some allusion must be made. This is an admirable water-colour drawing of the _Britannia_, the steamship that conveyed d.i.c.kens to America in 1842. The drawing was made with a view to reproduction as the frontispiece for the first cheap edition of "American Notes," and the following hitherto unpublished letter (dated May 11, 1850) to Edward Chapman (of Chapman & Hall), is of interest in this connection:--

"DEAR SIR,--Mr. Stanfield will draw the packet-ship for the frontispiece to the 'American Notes.' He says lithograph is better than wood for that kind of subject; please let me know immediately whether it will suit us to lithograph it.--Faithfully yours,

"CHARLES d.i.c.kENS."

The suggestion was found impracticable, so it was decided that the drawing should be made on wood. The block was therefore forwarded to the artist, who complained to d.i.c.kens of its imperfect surface, whereupon the novelist despatched to Edward Chapman this brief missive, dated May 22:--

"DEAR SIR,--Mr. Stanfield wonders you didn't send him a paving-stone to draw upon, as send a block in this unprepared state. I send you his drawing to do the best you can with. It costs nothing, and I wish it to be kept very clean and returned to me.--Faithfully yours,

"CHARLES d.i.c.kENS."

It may be inferred from this letter that the drawing was copied upon the wood-block by the engraver himself, whose name (T. Bolton) is appended to the frontispiece. The original picture was purchased at the sale of d.i.c.kens's effects in 1870 for the sum of 110, 5s., by the late Earl of Darnley, for many years the novelist's friend and neighbour.

Clarkson Stanfield, whose intimacy with the d.i.c.kens family was very close, used to take part in their Christmas sports and gambols, and in connection with the private theatricals at Tavistock House his services as scene-painter were invaluable. _Apropos_ of this, the novelist once wrote to Frank Stone, A.R.A.: "Stanfield bent on desperate effects, and all day long with his coat off, up to his eyes in distemper colours."

Again: "If Stanfield don't astonish 'em [the audience], I'm a Dutchman.

O Heaven, if you could hear the ideas he proposes to me, making even _my_ hair stand on end!" For Wilkie Collins's drama, "The Lighthouse,"

produced at Tavistock House, the artist painted a very remarkable act-drop representing the Eddystone Lighthouse, concerning which it may be observed that, although it occupied the great painter only one or two mornings, it realised at the novelist's death nearly a thousand guineas!

d.i.c.kens, when writing to Stanfield, frequently adopted nautical expressions, in allusion to the artist's experiences as a seaman. He sometimes addressed him as "Old Tarpaulin," "Old Salt," "Messmet," &c., and as an example of this I here reprint a letter, written on an occasion when Stanfield innocently demanded of d.i.c.kens to be informed of the amount due for a pair of candlesticks that the novelist had sent him:--

"MY DEAR STANNY,--In reference to the damage for the candlesticks, I beg to quote (from 'The Cricket on the Hearth,' by the highly popular and deservedly so d.i.c.k) this reply: