Photographs
Author Charles Dickens Carte de Visite Photograph
c. 1860s Civil War Period, Carte de Visite Photograph of Charles Dickens, Choice Extremely Fine.
This is a fully authentic Carte de Visite Photograph of Charles Dickens, the famous English writer and author of “A Christmas Carol.” No Backstamp or maker. This CDV measures 4” x 2.5” with text at bottom that reads simply, “CHARLES DICKENS.” A very sharp image with excellent contrast and detail. Image shows Dickens in chest-up pose with his right hand raised to his cheek. Scarce.
Charles John Huffam Dickens (7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic who is generally regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian period and the creator of some of the world's most memorable fictional characters.

During his lifetime Dickens' works enjoyed unprecedented popularity and fame, but it was in the twentieth century that his literary genius was fully recognized by critics and scholars. His novels and short stories continue to enjoy an enduring popularity among the general reading public. Born in Portsmouth, England, Dickens left school to work in a factory after his father was thrown into debtors' prison.

Though he had little formal education, his early impoverishment drove him to succeed. He edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels and hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms. Dickens rocketed to fame with the 1836 serial publication of The Pickwick Papers.

Within a few years he had become an international literary celebrity, celebrated for his humor, satire, and keen observation of character and society. His novels, most published in monthly or weekly installments, pioneered the serial publication of narrative fiction, which became the dominant Victorian mode for novel publication. The installment format allowed Dickens to evaluate his audience's reaction, and he often modified his plot and character development based on such feedback.

His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, is one of the most influential works ever written, and it remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre.