Visual Criticism in the Illustrations of Robinson Crusoe: Reading Allart and Vis’ 1791 Dutch Edition

Eighteenth-century book illustrations are widely seen as interpretative devices that help readers understand particular passages of a text. This article considers illustrations as comprising an element of the text capable of offering criticism on the typographically realized text, thereby altering t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Arbeiten aus Anglistik und Amerikanistik 2021-01, Vol.46 (1), p.15-42
Main Author: Palmer, Russell
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
18th century
Artikel
Dutch language
Illustrations
Narratives
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Eighteenth-century book illustrations are widely seen as interpretative devices that help readers understand particular passages of a text. This article considers illustrations as comprising an element of the text capable of offering criticism on the typographically realized text, thereby altering the author’s original narrative or enticing readers towards interpretations that differ from those presented by the typographical text alone. In order to demonstrate the potential for illustrations to develop a visual commentary, this article works through the visual narratives proffered by the illustrations included in a 1791 Dutch edition of Robinson Crusoe (Amsterdam: Allart and Vis). Robinson Crusoe was a profusely illustrated and widely read novel during the eighteenth century, and mediations of the work frequently crossed European borders. Allart and Vis’ edition departs in their choice of illustrated subjects from those of many of their predecessors and contemporaries, offering a new graphic interpretation that provides visual criticism of Defoe’s text.
ISSN:0171-5410
DOI:10.2357/AAA-2021-0002