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Wikipedia:Featured picture candidates/Tristram Shandy

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This is a set of images done by the noted illustrator George Cruikshank for one of the works that helped define the modern novel, Tristram Shandy, or The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, to give the full name.

This novel purportedly tells the autobiographical life history of the titular Tristram Shandy. Unfortunately, he's prone to diversions, and isn't born until half-way through the book or so.

Let me put up the images here.

The set shows some interesting aspects of George Cruikshank's art. A lot of these happen in the same room, and Cruikshank does a rather good job of giving a coherent sense of place. For instance, compare plates II, III and VI.

All you really need to know about this book is that it's something like a 1950's sitcom, only set in the 18th century. Something like I Love Lucy if there was more men in the cast, fewer women, and no censorship.

I'll just cover a few of the plates: Plate I introduces the servant Trim, whose eloquence is such as to awe all listeners. Plate III is one of the sitcom-like situations: Trim has used a pair of old boots to hold plaster while he was doing some repairs. But they turn out to have been old heirlooms. You've got some splainin' to do, Trim! Plate IV is about Walter (Tristram's father)'s favourite book, a bizarre little book about how important noses are. As I recall (I don't have the book to hand), everyone is so interested in the funny nose of the stranger that they follow him out of the city, and while they do, the Germans slip in and take it over. Plate V is about Uncle Toby, an old soldier, now crippled, falling into discussion of the military with Trim, and his enthusiasm for the military takes hold, and pulls Trim in so much that they begin acting things out with props at hand. In Plate VII, Dr. Slop is trying to make medicine for baby Tristram, gets in a quarrel with the maid Susannah, and they end up having a medicine fight. Poor baby Tristram! Plate VIII is about cannons powered by hookahs, we discussed this last FP.

Possible downsides is that these are not contemporaneous - Cruikshank was born 24 years after Sterne's death. Cruikshank's images do imitate the aesthetics of the 18th century - compare File:Vauxhall - Dr. Johnson, Oliver Goldsmith, Mary Robinson, et al.jpg, for instance.

What more to say? I think that, for what they are, they're pretty good. Let me know if you spot any problems. I had honestly thought I had already nominated these, but am on the laptop just now, so it's a little impractical to get a full check in.

Reason
See above.
Articles this image appears in
George Cruikshank, Tristram Shandy
Creator
George Cruikshank

Suspended per request of Shoemaker's Holiday. Makeemlighter (talk) 01:23, 19 October 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Not promoted --Makeemlighter (talk) 00:38, 1 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]