Dr Richard Gaunt edits new book of Peel caricatures

'Peel in Caricature' book launch, House of Lords. Seated (L-R): Lord Hurd, Lord Lexden and The Hon. Robert Peel; standing (L-R): Dr Richard Gaunt, Dr David Biggs

Peel in Caricature: The 'Political Sketches' of John Doyle ('H.B.') is a new book of political caricatures of Sir Robert Peel, edited by Dr Richard Gaunt.

It includes an essay by Dr Gaunt examining the historical importance of the sketches, and also the life of the artist John Doyle whose grandson was Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes.

Professor Fintan Cullen of the Department of History of Art has contributed an essay explaining the importance of the pictures in the context of the development of 19th-century art.

The book was assisted by a publication grant from the AHRC-funded ‘Connected Communities’ programme at the University of Nottingham.

The book was launched in the House of Lords in October, where Peel’s biographer Lord Hurd acclaimed it “an excellent production”.