SIR EDWIN LANDSEER, R.A. 67 



It is impossible to mention the engravings 

 of his pictures without referring to his brother 

 Thomas,* who executed so large a number of them. 

 Never had artist more skilful and sympathetic 

 interpreter than Sir Edwin Landseer possessed in 

 his elder brother ; there is no doubt but that he was 

 indebted for much of his wide popularity to the 

 admirable handiwork of Thomas. He seems to 

 have been in the habit of doing- something- to the 

 plates himself, for in a letter to Mr. Hills he remarks 

 of the plate of " Man Proposes God Disposes " (the 

 picture of polar bears, illustrative of the loss of the 

 Franklin Expedition), " I think it will be a good 

 picture when I have touched it up." 



Among the artists' early friends was J. F. Lewis, 

 A.R.A., of whom Mr. J. L. Roget says, in his 

 History of the Old Water Coloicr Society :\ 



" More than one point of connection may be found in the 

 early life of Lewis with that of his great contemporary. 

 They are said to have been born in the same house in Queen 

 Anne Street, Landseer being two or three years the senior. 

 However that may be, an intimacy existed between the 

 families of the engravers, John Landseer and Frederick C. 

 Lewis, the respective fathers of the two young men who could 

 not fail to find a bond of sympathy in their common taste for 

 drawing animals." 



* It is hoped that a future volume will include some notice 

 of Thomas Landseer's works. 



t Afterwards " The Oil and Water Colour Society." 



