Chapter 1


Photograph

Thackeray’s watercolor title page for Undine. *EC85.T3255.Zz818ℓ

Photograph

One of Thackeray’s watercolor illustrations for Undine. *EC85.T3255.Zz818ℓ

Thackeray’s illustrations in Edward FitzGerald’s copy of Undine.

Thackeray’s friendship with FitzGerald was one of the most important and longest-lasting relationships of his life. During the 1830s, they were often together, and when they were separated, they corresponded frequently. Both encouraged each other’s passions for writing and art. In his copy of Freidrick de la Motte-Fouqué’s Undine , FitzGerald wrote, “The drawings in this book were done for me by W M Thackeray at his father’s house Albion Street, Hyde Park, during two mornings in 1837.” Thackeray painted seventeen watercolors and a title page, which Fitzgerald tipped into the book. . Thackeray also designed his friend’s bookplate.

*EC85.T3255.Zz818ℓ. Gift of Herbert L. Carlebach, 1946.