Lot 317

[Doyle, Charles Altamount]

Books, Maps & Manuscripts

Auction: 10 June 2009 at 12:00 BST

£1,000

Description

An album of 49 original illustrations thought to be by Charles Altamount Doyle, c. 1868-76, including series of 25 illustrations entitled The seasons, a series of 6 illustrations entitled The story of the wonderful pig that was (to have been) sent to Miss Juilet Reeves as a Christmas gift, a poem and illustration entitled Miss [Antoinette] Stirling ode to the very young gentleman who showed her such devoted attention at a small tea party, a collage of David Livingstone [ink with pasted on engraving of character's face], an ink sketch of a meeting held in Committee Room No. 1 at the House of Commons on 31st March 1876 [discussing the Caledonian Railway], a series of 5 illustrations entitled A song about tea, an ink sketch of an evening service on Good Friday 1876 at St. Ann's in Soho, ink illustrations in the majority pasted onto leaves, various sizes from 10 by11.5cm (at smallest) to 15 by 20cm (at largest), contemporary cloth gilt, rubbed at edges

Footnote

Note: Charles Altamount Doyle [1832-1893], artist and illustrator, was the father of the author Arthur Conan Doyle. Born in England in 1832 he grew up in artistic surroundings: his father, John Doyle, was the famous political cartoonist "HB" while his older brother, Richard Doyle, was a prominent illustrator. Charles was unable to make a living from his work and in 1849 he moved to Edinburgh to join the Scottish Office of Works as an architectural draughtsman.

Charles suffered from depression and alcoholism throughout his life, having a great effect on his physical and mental health. In June 1876 Charles lost his job at the Scottish Office and in 1881 he was committed to a mental institution. Charles would go on to spend the remaining 12 years of his life in various institutions. It was during this period that Charles produced some of his most significant work, with distinctive fantasical and macabre themes.

This album contains various ink stektches from his final years at the Scottish office, including a sketch of a House of Commons meeting regarding the Caledonian Railway in 1876 that Charles attended in his role at the Office of Works. Other illustrations included various short series all captioned in his distinctive block letters [for comparison see The Doyle Diary, published in 1978]