Eighteenth-Century Illustration and Literary Material Culture: Richardson, Thomson, Defoe

This Element studies eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century instances of transmediation, focusing on how the same illustrations were adapted for new media and how they generated novel media constellations and meanings for these images. Case studies examine the use of illustrations across different media of three eighteenth-century works: Robinson Crusoe, The Seasons, and Pamela.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 75 pages
Publication date: 15 June 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

This Element delves into the captivating realm of transmediation, exploring the remarkable transformations that occurred when illustrations from the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries were adapted for new media. Through in-depth case studies, it scrutinizes the intricate process of adapting illustrations, encompassing both book illustrations and furniture prints, from three influential eighteenth-century works: Defoe's Robinson Crusoe (1719), Thomson's The Seasons (1730), and Richardson's Pamela (1740). By examining the content of these illustrations and their adaptation within the framework of new media, these case studies shed light on the profound ways in which visual enhanced material culture not only presents the literary work, including its characters and story-world, but also engenders changes that impact our understanding of it. Moreover, they unveil the intricate processes of transmediation that transform the illustrations, altering our perception and interpretation of the literary work. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core, allowing a wider audience to engage with these thought-provoking insights.

Weight: 166g
Dimension: 151 x 229 x 9 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108977937