The Watercolours and Drawings of Thomas Bewick and His Workshop Apprentices: Two volumes

Thomas Bewick / Iain Bain - The Watercolours and Drawings of Thomas Bewick and His Workshop Apprentices - 1989

Two volumes, oblong quarto (23 x 25 cm), pp. Volume 1: 233, Volume 2: 230. Reprint edition. Green cloth boards with gilt titling. Blue endpapers. Introduction and editorial notes by Iain Bain. Exhaustively illustrated with hundreds of sketches and reproductions of engravings originally created for General History of Quadrupeds, History of British Birds, Fables of Aesop and Others, History of British Fishes as well as miscellaneous book illustrations and jobbing engravings. Contains three appendices: "Apprentices and their Workshop Periods," "The Dispersal of Bewick's Workshop Drawings" and "The Present-day Collections" plus bibliography and index.

A re-issue of this essential work for anyone engaged in a serious study of Thomas Bewick (1753-1828), the father of English wood engraving and one of the most important illustrators of his day. All the drawings and watercolors have been reproduced in their original size and for the first time are shown together with their related engravings, with dates assigned to all the engravings. Most of these drawings and watercolours were never shown in Bewick's lifetime, and their only formal showing was that given by Bewick's daughters in 1880. This work also includes a wealth of ancillary material on Bewick's workshop and apprentices.

Very good condition; currently protected by transparent non-adhesive sleeves.

A must-have for the Bewick collector.