Beautiful Books: Dickens and the Business of Christmas.
What some do not know about Charles Dickens surely it is that his first steps in literature took them as reporter in publications such as The Daily News ; and perhaps it was this direct contact with society, which had repercussions and later influenced his novels and stories, most social critiques in 19th century England.
From his pen were born great characters like David Copperfield or Oliver Twist , and some of the stories that are still circulating in libraries and bookstores around the world today. Do not forget that Atale of two cities (1859) is one of the best-selling books in history with 200 million copies.
His style and characters, from the noblest to the villains, have been studied and have served as inspiration for many other writers. It is also, one of the few to know of his success in his lifetime.
Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim, illustrated by Harold Copping.
It is indisputable that it was he who planted the seed of the "most commercial" Christmas , although he regretted it much later, as he admitted to his editors. A Christmas Carol , his most popular short story (1843) continues to influence 170 years after it was written.
And the new exhibition ** Beautiful Books: Dickens and the Business of Christmas ,** which opens to the public deals with this repercussion from November 20 to April 19 , in the Charles Dickens Museum , located in what was his first home in 48 Doughty Street From london .
The museum house is already a must-see, but even more so at Christmas considering that it was here that he wrote his first novels and christmas stories , before becoming internationally famous.
Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, The Pickwick Papers and the beginning of Barnaby Rudge , are some of the weighty works that he conceived in this house, where he was also in charge of celebrating family parties, which would be the ones that would also inspire his novels.
CHRISTMAS AS A BUSINESS IN THE 19TH CENTURY
The modern idea of Christmas arose in the first half of the 19th century in a newly industrialized Britain , where technological advances had revolutionized work with printers, typewriters, and illustrators.
It was in this more advanced Britain, where the middle classes grew and had more and more purchasing power , and where Dickens wrote his first Christmas story, A Christmas Carol . The Christmas that the stories of him move, and that was spreading in English homes, was a party where people ate, drank and gave each other gifts.
An opportunity that the publishing industry did not miss at all. From then on, well-bound and illustrated books were put up for sale every year that would become beautiful christmas gifts.
A Christmas Carol it was written in the winter of 1843; in just six weeks Dickens managed to create a short and affordable classic , costing less than half the price of the annuals with which he shared shelves in bookstores. In just six days, from its release to Christmas Eve, it managed to sell 6,000 copies.
Since then, 24 Christmases later (with two exceptions), Dickens published books, stories and special texts for his readers. In the exhibition, Dickens's letters to publishers and illustrators will reveal his eye for business However, by 1860 the industry was already unstoppable and Dickens decided to distance himself.
" Dickens and Christmas will always be linked ; and his influence is still as strong as it was then. In the 19th century, Dickens became king of commercial Christmas. The changes in the country created the perfect conditions for him. A Christmas Carol was a very beautiful publication, both in content and presentation. While his story celebrated the importance of family, loved ones, and generosity of spirit, Christmas became a massive commercial explosion. A dichotomy that would irritate Dickens later "says Cindy Sughrue, director of the Charles Dickens Museum.
'A Christmas Carol'.
In Beautiful Books: Dickens and the Business of Christmas You can see the designs, illustrations and production of his books. The exhibition will also feature the first sketches and illustrations of Scrooge, Fezziwig and the ghosts of christmas John Leech, that would adorn in 1843 the first edition of a christmas tale.
It also shows how it is at this time that the "reading experience" begins to be sold, with the first libraries and oil lamps to be able to read at night.
One of the curiosities of the exhibition is the first christmas card , also the first in the world dated from 1843, made by Henry Cole the same year as the publication of A Christmas Carol. A thousand copies were sold at one shilling a copy. , but they were not very successful, so the next Christmas card did not appear until five years later.
Nevertheless, 4.5 million postcards were published in 1877 . So it wasn't such a bad idea...
The dining room prepared for Christmas in the house of Charles Dickens.