George Louis Palmella Busson Du Maurier stands as a significant, multifaceted figure in the artistic and literary landscape of the late Victorian era. Born in Paris but quintessentially English in his professional life and impact, Du Maurier carved a unique niche for himself as a keenly observant illustrator, a biting social satirist, and, later in life, a remarkably successful novelist. His work not only captured the visual and social nuances of his time but also delved into themes of memory, identity, and the burgeoning interest in the subconscious, leaving an indelible mark on popular culture.
Parisian Roots and Artistic Awakening
George Du Maurier was born in Paris on March 6, 1834. His father, Louis-Mathurin Busson Du Maurier, was a man of inventive but often impractical schemes, whose family had aristocratic roots in France but had faced diminished fortunes, particularly after the French Revolution. His mother, Ellen Wightwick, was English, the daughter of the notorious courtesan Mary Anne Clarke, who had been the mistress of Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany. This mixed heritage and somewhat bohemian family background provided Du Maurier with a unique perspective, straddling French and English cultures from an early age.
His early education was somewhat peripatetic, reflecting his father's shifting fortunes and ambitions. He initially pursued science, studying chemistry at University College London, and even worked for a time in his father's (ultimately unsuccessful) laboratory. However, his true passion lay in art. Following his father's death in 1856, Du Maurier returned to Paris to formally study art. He enrolled in the atelier of Charles Gleyre, a Swiss artist whose studio was a notable training ground for many aspiring painters.
It was in Gleyre's studio that Du Maurier encountered a cohort of young artists who would go on to achieve fame, most notably James Abbott McNeill Whistler, an American expatriate whose flamboyant personality and artistic theories would later make him a central figure in the Aesthetic Movement. Other classmates included Edward Poynter, who would later become President of the Royal Academy, and Thomas Armstrong. The atmosphere in these Parisian studios was one of intense study, camaraderie, and often, lively debate about the nature and direction of art. While Gleyre himself was a proponent of a more academic, classical style, his studio, like many others, became a crucible for new ideas. Artists like Gustave Courbet were championing Realism, and the seeds of Impressionism were being sown by figures such as Édouard Manet, Camille Pissarro, and Edgar Degas, though Du Maurier's own path would diverge from these avant-garde movements.
A pivotal and tragic event occurred during his studies in Antwerp in 1859: Du Maurier suddenly lost sight in his left eye. This devastating development effectively ended his ambitions of becoming a painter in the grand tradition, as the depth perception required for large-scale oil painting was severely compromised. The fear of total blindness would haunt him for the rest of his life.
A New Path: Illustration and Punch Magazine
Forced to reconsider his artistic future, Du Maurier turned to black-and-white illustration, a field where his meticulous draughtsmanship and keen eye for detail could still flourish. He moved to London, the heart of a burgeoning publishing industry with a voracious appetite for illustrated journals and books. His early work appeared in magazines like Once a Week, The Cornhill Magazine, and The Illustrated London News.
His talent was quickly recognized, and in 1860, he began contributing to Punch, the preeminent British satirical magazine. By 1864, following the death of John Leech, one of Punch's leading cartoonists, Du Maurier was offered a permanent position on the staff, a role he would hold for over thirty years. This provided him with financial stability and a prominent platform for his work.
At Punch, Du Maurier joined a distinguished company of artists and writers, including Charles Keene, a master of character and everyday life, and John Tenniel, famed for his political cartoons and his iconic illustrations for Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Du Maurier's contributions to Punch were primarily social, rather than political, cartoons. He excelled at depicting the manners, affectations, and anxieties of the Victorian upper-middle and upper classes. His drawings were characterized by elegant lines, a refined sense of composition, and an uncanny ability to capture contemporary fashions and social types.
His subjects often included the nouveaux riches, pretentious aesthetes (a frequent target, reflecting a societal amusement and sometimes suspicion towards the Aesthetic Movement championed by figures like Oscar Wilde and Whistler), ambitious mothers, eligible daughters, and the subtle power dynamics of the drawing-room and the dinner party. He had a particular gift for portraying children and beautiful, statuesque women, often embodying an idealized Victorian femininity. Phrases from his cartoon captions sometimes entered common parlance, a testament to his widespread influence. One famous example is the "curate's egg," referring to something that is "good in parts," originating from an 1895 Du Maurier cartoon.
The "Sixties School" and Book Illustration
Beyond Punch, Du Maurier was a prolific book illustrator and a key figure in what became known as the "Sixties School" of illustration. This was not a formal school but rather a loose group of artists active in the 1860s who brought a new level of artistry and realism to book and magazine illustration, largely facilitated by advancements in wood engraving techniques. These artists often shared a commitment to detailed observation, psychological depth, and a sophisticated interplay between text and image.
Other prominent members of this informal school included John Everett Millais, a founding member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood who also produced stunning illustrations; Frederick Sandys, known for his powerful and often dark imagery; Arthur Boyd Houghton, whose work often depicted dramatic or exotic scenes; and the aforementioned Charles Keene. Du Maurier's style, with its clarity, elegance, and sensitivity to social nuance, fitted well within this milieu.
He provided illustrations for numerous novels by prominent authors of the day. These included works by Elizabeth Gaskell, such as Wives and Daughters and Sylvia's Lovers; Thomas Hardy's The Hand of Ethelberta and A Laodicean; and Wilkie Collins's The Moonstone (for its serial publication). He also illustrated works by Henry James and George Meredith. His illustrations were highly valued for their ability to bring characters and settings to life, often adding a layer of visual interpretation that complemented the author's prose. His depiction of Victorian interiors, fashion, and social interactions remains an invaluable visual record of the period.
His technique typically involved detailed pencil drawings, which were then transferred to woodblocks by specialist engravers like Joseph Swain, who engraved most of his Punch cartoons. The quality of the engraving was crucial to the final printed image, and Du Maurier, like his contemporaries, worked closely with these skilled artisans.
The Novelist: An Unexpected Triumph
As his eyesight continued to cause concern and the physical demands of weekly cartooning became more taxing, Du Maurier, encouraged by his friend Henry James, began to explore writing fiction in the late 1880s. His literary efforts met with astonishing success, catapulting him to a new level of fame in his later years.
Peter Ibbetson (1891)
His first novel, Peter Ibbetson, published serially in Harper's Magazine in 1891 and then as a book, was a highly romantic and autobiographical work. It tells the story of a young man, Peter, who, imprisoned for murder, discovers he can relive his childhood and meet his childhood sweetheart, Mary, Duchess of Towers, in a shared dream world. The novel is suffused with nostalgia for Du Maurier's own Parisian childhood, exploring themes of memory, true love transcending physical boundaries, and the power of the subconscious. Illustrated by Du Maurier himself, its dreamlike, melancholic quality resonated with many readers. It drew upon his own experiences of bilingualism and his deep affection for the France of his youth.
Trilby (1894)
If Peter Ibbetson was a critical success, Du Maurier's second novel, Trilby, published in 1894 (also serialized in Harper's), became a cultural phenomenon. Set in the bohemian Paris of his student days in the 1850s, the novel follows the lives of three British art students – Taffy, the Laird, and Little Billee – and their affectionate relationship with Trilby O'Ferrall, a charming and innocent Irish artists' model.
The novel's most compelling and enduring character, however, is Svengali, a sinister, charismatic, and highly talented Jewish musician and hypnotist. Svengali mesmerizes Trilby, who cannot sing a note naturally, and transforms her into a prima donna, La Svengali, who captivates audiences across Europe with her flawless voice, entirely under his hypnotic control. When Svengali dies, Trilby's voice vanishes, and she eventually wastes away, her true self unable to survive without her master's influence.
Trilby was an instant bestseller on an unprecedented scale, particularly in the United States, where "Trilby-mania" swept the nation. The novel sparked a craze for all things related to it: Trilby hats (a soft felt hat with an indented crown), Trilby-themed products, and countless parodies and stage adaptations. The character of Svengali became an archetype for a manipulative, controlling figure, and the name entered the English language.
The novel's success can be attributed to several factors: its romanticized depiction of bohemian Paris, its engaging characters, the dramatic plot, and its exploration of themes like artistic life, innocence corrupted, the power of suggestion, and the nature of genius. However, the portrayal of Svengali, while a powerful literary creation, has also been criticized for drawing on anti-Semitic stereotypes prevalent at the time, depicting him with exaggerated physical features and a predatory nature. This aspect of the novel remains a point of discussion and concern for modern readers.
Interestingly, an early version of Trilby contained a character named Joe Sibley, a lazy but talented art student, which was widely interpreted as a caricature of Du Maurier's old classmate, James Abbott McNeill Whistler. Whistler, known for his sensitivity to criticism and his litigious nature (famously suing John Ruskin for libel), took offense. After threats of legal action, Du Maurier and Harper's issued an apology, and the character was altered and toned down for the book publication. This incident highlights the close-knit, and sometimes contentious, nature of the London art world.
The Martian (1897)
Du Maurier's third novel, The Martian, was published posthumously in 1897, having been serialized in Harper's starting in 1896. It tells the story of Barty Josselin, a popular writer who owes his literary success to the guidance of a benevolent Martian spirit named Martia, who communicates with him from another planet. Like his previous novels, it explores themes of dual identity, inspiration, and the supernatural, and is again richly illustrated by the author. While not achieving the sensational success of Trilby, it was well-received and further demonstrated Du Maurier's imaginative storytelling abilities.
Artistic Style and Thematic Concerns
Du Maurier's illustrative style was marked by its elegance, clarity, and precision. He had a fine, delicate line and a strong sense of design. His figures were often graceful and idealized, particularly his women, who embodied a certain type of Victorian beauty – tall, statuesque, and serene. He was a master of depicting social settings, capturing the nuances of gesture, posture, and fashion that defined Victorian society. His compositions were carefully balanced, and he often used subtle humor and irony to comment on the scenes he portrayed.
In his novels, recurring themes include nostalgia for youth (especially his Parisian childhood), the power of memory, the nature of identity, the influence of the subconscious, and the exploration of unconventional relationships. His works often feature a blend of realism in their depiction of everyday life and a strong element of romance or the supernatural. The theme of a guiding or controlling influence – whether it be a shared dream state in Peter Ibbetson, the hypnotic power of Svengali in Trilby, or the alien guidance in The Martian – is a notable thread running through his fiction.
Personal Life and Character
In 1863, Du Maurier married Emma Wightwick, and they had five children: Beatrix, Guy, Sylvia, Marie Louise, and Gerald. His son Gerald Du Maurier became a celebrated actor-manager, and his granddaughter, Sylvia's daughter, was Daphne Du Maurier, the acclaimed author of novels such as Rebecca and Jamaica Inn, thus continuing the family's literary and artistic legacy.
Du Maurier was known for his charm, wit, and sociability. He was a popular figure in London's artistic and literary circles, counting among his friends many of the leading writers and artists of his day, including Henry James, who was a close confidant. Despite his professional success, he was often plagued by anxieties about his eyesight and his health. He lived for many years in Hampstead, then a semi-rural suburb of London popular with artists and writers.
Anecdotes about him often highlight his humor and his talent for mimicry. He was reportedly a gifted storyteller and singer in private, talents that perhaps found an outlet in his later fiction. His fear of blindness was a constant shadow, and the relief and creative outlet that writing provided him in his later years was significant.
Connections and Contemporaries
Du Maurier's career placed him at the intersection of several artistic and literary currents.
In Paris, his early training with Charles Gleyre connected him to a traditional academic approach, even as classmates like James Abbott McNeill Whistler and Edward Poynter forged distinct paths. The broader Parisian art scene was then animated by Realists like Gustave Courbet and early Impressionists such as Édouard Manet, Claude Monet, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, though Du Maurier's own work would not follow these modernist trajectories.
In London, his work for Punch made him a colleague of Charles Keene, John Tenniel, and previously John Leech. As an illustrator, he was part of the "Sixties School," alongside figures like John Everett Millais, Frederick Sandys, Arthur Boyd Houghton, Dante Gabriel Rossetti (though Rossetti's illustrative work was less prolific), and Ford Madox Brown. He illustrated books for literary giants such as Thomas Hardy, Henry James, Elizabeth Gaskell, and Wilkie Collins. He was also acquainted with other prominent Victorian painters and illustrators like Luke Fildes, who also depicted social scenes, and Hubert von Herkomer. The Aesthetic Movement, with figures like Oscar Wilde and its artistic proponents such as Whistler and Albert Moore, provided frequent subject matter for his satire.
Legacy and Enduring Influence
George Du Maurier died on October 8, 1896, in London, at the height of his fame as a novelist. His death was widely mourned, and he was buried in the churchyard of St John-at-Hampstead Church.
His legacy is multifaceted. As an illustrator for Punch, he provided a witty and insightful visual commentary on Victorian society for over three decades. His drawings are an invaluable resource for social historians, capturing the fashions, manners, and preoccupations of the era with unparalleled elegance and detail. His book illustrations similarly enriched the works of many leading Victorian authors.
As a novelist, his impact was perhaps more unexpected but equally profound. Trilby was not just a bestseller; it was a cultural event that left a lasting mark on popular culture. The character of Svengali became an enduring archetype, and the novel's exploration of hypnosis and psychological influence tapped into late Victorian anxieties and interests in the workings of the mind. While some aspects of his novels, particularly the portrayal of Svengali, are viewed critically today, their imaginative power and romantic appeal are undeniable.
His work influenced subsequent illustrators and writers, and his family continued his artistic and literary contributions, most notably through his granddaughter Daphne Du Maurier. George Du Maurier remains a significant figure for his dual achievements in art and literature, a chronicler of his times whose work continues to engage and fascinate.
Conclusion
George Du Maurier's journey from a Parisian art student to a celebrated London illustrator and finally to a bestselling novelist is a remarkable story of adaptation and talent. His keen observational skills, honed by the limitations of his eyesight, allowed him to capture the subtleties of Victorian social life with wit and precision. His illustrations for Punch and numerous classic novels defined a certain visual style and provided an enduring record of his era. Later in life, his novels, particularly the sensational Trilby, tapped into the romantic and psychological undercurrents of the late 19th century, securing him a unique place in literary history. He remains a testament to the rich interplay between visual art and narrative, a charming and insightful commentator on the human condition within the specific context of Victorian England.
