George Bickham the Younger

George Bickham the Younger ( * 1705/1710, † 1771) was an engraver and publisher in London.

Life and work

George Bickham was the son of George Bickham the Elder (ca. 1684-1758 ), a London writing master and engraver, whose main work, The Universal Penman was born 1733-1741. Bickham the Younger came out since 1731 with own work first saitirscher nature. 1735-40 he created his most famous work, " The Musical Entertainer ," an elaborate illustrated note book with popular songs of the time. In 1740 he opened in May 's Building in the Covent Garden district, a retail store - run by his wife - with a printing press in the back room. Here appeared in about twenty years, numerous political satires that ridicule in quite hearty manner king and ministers.

Several times he was accused of copying black; but he was especially in the 1740s the most successful satirical graphic artists. As a contemporary of Hogarth, who resisted the term cartoonist, Bickham can be considered as one of the first modern cartoonists.