Richard Doyle

Richard Doyle (born September 1824, London—died Dec. 11, 1883, London) was a caricaturist, painter, and illustrator who, together with his father, John (1797–1868), introduced into British art a moderate style of caricature, opposed to the savage satire of James Gillray and Thomas Rowlandson.

A student of his father, Doyle regularly contributed (from 1843) decorations, theatre sketches, and political caricatures to Punch. The cover he designed for that publication was used for more than a century. Because of the magazine’s anti-Catholic statements, he resigned in 1850, devoting himself to painting watercolours and to book illustrations (Thackeray’s Newcomes, 1854–55; Dickens’ Christmas books). His best-known collections of cartoons are: Manners and Customs of Ye Englyshe (1849) and Bird’s Eye Views of Society (1864).