The first volume of a biography of the graphic artist George Cruickshank. He was not only one of the most influential British graphic artists of any period, but he also became a larger-then-life figure who epitomised the era. A political and social caricaturist, he recorded, satirized and commented on his times. As the foremost illustrator of his day, he provided the first illustrations for such classics as Grimms' fairy tales and the writings of Dickens. Well known for his versatility, imagination and humour, his life was long, complex and fascinating. This account of his life sets his achievements in a variety of contexts including social and cultural history, publishing history, and the traditions of figuration practised by Cruikshank's Georgian, Regency and Victorian contemporaries.