Benjamin Fawcett - 1879 Wood Engraving Roach

Description

Benjamin Fawcett - Original 1879 Wood Engraving. Original wood engraving. Engraved by Benjamin Fawcett after an original drawing by A.F. Lydon. Reproduced in Rev. William Houghton's "British Fresh-Water Fishes", published by William Mackenzie, London, 1879. There is a very small amount of foxing towards the outer edges of the sheet.

Size

Size: 22 x 28.5cm (8.7" x 11.2")

Collection Information

Benjamin Fawcett (1808-1893) was one of the finest of English nineteenth century woodblock colour printers. The son of a ship's master, he was apprenticed at age 14 for seven years to William Forth, a Bridlington bookseller and printer. In 1831 he started his own business in Middle Street, Driffield, as music seller, bookbinder and printer, bookseller and stationer.

His early works were mostly children's books published by Webb & Millington of Leeds. In about 1845 he formed a close working association with Francis Orpen Morris. This relationship would last nearly 50 years and have a profound effect on British ornithology.

Fellow engraver, W.D. Ridley wrote: "Benjamin Fawcett was undoubtedly a born genius in the best sense of the word… If there was a secret which produced the fine results it would have been... Benjamin Fawcett engraving every one of the three hundred and sixty plates for this work on wood with his own hand ... making the inks himself from the costliest powders and the most expensive varnishes procurable....and each specimen plate for the colourers painted by his wife. This, I believe, is an achievement without parallel in book production. The very best materials were used."

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