George Cruikshank was a most prolific illustrator and satirical artitist who worked in London. Born into the Cruikshank family of caricaturists and artists, his father Isaac was a well-known engraver and caricaturist who taught him etching, watercolour, and drawing.
George was still in his teens when he gained popular success with a series of political caricatures that he created for the periodical, The Scourge, a Monthly Expositor of Imposture and Folly. 
In the 1820's, Cruikshank began his book illustration career and was made famous for being Charles Dickens's artist for Sketches by Boz (1836) and Oliver Twist (1838).
He was the illustrator for The Comic Almanack (1835-54), an annual publication that satirised English society and beliefs by way of caricature, essays and poems.
In "Probable Effects . . ." George Cruikshank satirises British class and attitude to the success of the Australian colonies attempts to correct the great male imbalance in the Australian population that had occurred by the first half of the nineteenth century. To reverse this trend, the colonies encouraged and assisted women to emigrate and work as domestic servants in Australia. Cruikshank satirised the solution to the inevitable shortage of women in Britain was to import females from the savage islands. He shows a startled and disapproving group of well-dressed men confronted with a colourful array of native women, with more being rowed to shore.
A witty and biting statement on colour and class in mid-nineteenth century Britain.
Published in The Comic Almanack in 1850. With the original folds as issued.
Copperplate etching.
150 x 390 mm.
Original hand-colour, restored.