The First Floor > The Study
An Overview of Dickens's Study
The study has two doors, one to the Drawing Room, and one to the stairway, and a large window overlooking the garden. Inside the room are various items related to Dickens's works and life. The first wall features a caricature of Dickens by the French painter George Goursat, a watercolour painting of a scene from the novel Martin Chuzzlewit, and a green velvet chair that belonged to Dickens's friend Sir Samuel Luke Fildes.
On the next wall is a famous drawing by Fildes, The Empty Chair. It features Dickens's empty chair and desk, and was sold by the thousands when it came out around his death. Underneath that drawing are several illustrations for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, the novel Dickens was working on at the time of his death. A table used by Dickens at the time of his death is also on display. Above the fireplace is a copy of the painting of Dickens by Ary Sheffer, the original being at the National Portrait Gallery. Next to the portrait is a painting loved by fans of Dickens. Named Dickens's Dream, and painted by RW Buss, this painting is unfinished and features Charles sitting at his desk asleep, with characters from his novels floating in the air around him. Below the painting is a display case showcasing plagiarisms and piracies of Dickens's works.
On the wall with the window is an untitled painting of Dickens, and a drawing titled Dickens After Death, by JE Millais. Directly under the window is Dickens's desk. He obtained the desk during the 1930s, and is believed to be where he wrote most of his books. A small drawing of Sam Weller and a cut out from a theater paper advertising Sam Weller are also along this wall.
The final wall of the room features several sketches of characters from his novels, an engraving of the writer, and a drawing titled Behold the Moral Pecksniff. Also displayed is a testimonial presented to Dickens on behalf of the city of Birmingham, in the original frame. Dominating this wall however is a large display case filled with several items. These include drawing and paintings of characters, personal effects of Dickens, and small sculptures of characters. Also on the display case are two busts of dickens, one white, and the other black.
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