Painter, book illustrator and newspaper sketch artist, the versatile John Gilbert (1817–97) was a huge celebrity in his day. This assessment examines the life and career of a now-neglected Victorian artist. More than 150 illustrations reproduce his work in various media, while essays explore his relationship to Old Masters and contemporaries, scientific examination of his techniques, his transactions with his framers and colourist, and what his success reveals about the 19th-century art market.