The Royal Academy has in its Print Room a very poorly announced but nonetheless important exhibition of Arthur Boyd Houghton´s “Graphic America”. For many reasons this illustrated travelogue full of biting social criticism and intense observations can be regarded as one of the most brilliant achivements in the history of graphic journalism. Vincent Van Gogh compared Boyd Houghtons mesmerizing work very aptly with the graphics of Goya and Meryon.

A. Boyd Houghton: New York Police (Graphic America), 1869

Besides a series of twenty-four wood engraved examples of this travel documentary, which ran from 1869 till 1872 in the in the newly-launched weekly magazine ‘The Graphic’, there are also some of Boyd Houghtons illustrated books on display, as well as a volume of The Graphic and some engraving tools. The show is curated by Amanda-Jane Doran. a specialist in the field of Victorian book illustration, who has done a lot of research on the famous satire magazine Punch and the related engraving workshops.

On  January 7th, Amanda-Jane Doran will give a lecture in the Library Print Room, where she explains why Arthur Boyd Houghton’s vivid drawings of New York street life and Buffalo Bill Cody created a sensation on both sides of the Atlantic.

The exhibition runs until the 31th January .

A. Boyd Houghton: The Rag Trade (Graphic America), 1869

A. Boyd Houghton: On the scout (Graphic America), 1869