Charles Stewart: Black and White Gothic, Royal Academy

Following the generous bequest of his working archive, the Royal Academy, London examines the underappreciated work of illustrator Charles Stewart and his fascination with the Victorian gothic novel, Uncle Silas.

J. S. Le Fanu’s 1864 thriller haunted Stewart for 40 years of his life. Such was his obsession that he produced thirty meticulous pen and ink drawings of the story in the style of the great graphic artists of the nineteenth century. These richly detailed works reveal Stewart’s personal interpretation of Le Fanu’s protagonist Maud Ruthyn, the naïve and imperiled heiress of the neglected Bartram-Haugh house.

On show alongside Stewart’s illustrations are film stills, theatre designs and proofs from the unpublished 1948 Bodley Head edition of Le Fanu’s masterpiece. Elaborate bindings and illustrations finally distributed by the Folio Society in 1988 round out this quirky exhibition in London.

Take a break from the blockbuster Royal Academy London exhibitions this Christmas and explore the sinister motifs of the Victorian gothic genre in the Tennant Gallery, Burlington House.

We recommend the talk with exhibition curator Amanda Doran and former editorial director of the Folio Society, Sue Bradbury on 19 January. Using Charles Stewart’s illustrations as a starting point, they'll discuss how an artist illustrates a story. Click here to reserve your free ticket.