From a vignette in the "History of British Birds," Vol. II. 



CHAPTER XXV. 



WATER-COLOUR DRAWINGS. 



HE collection of Bewick's water-colour drawings exhibited in The Fine 



Art Society's rooms, New Bond Street, London, during- November 

 and December, 1880, gave the public an opportunity for the first time of 

 seeing the original conceptions of most of the engravings in the volumes 

 of the Birds as well as in other publications. This exhibition was more 

 than ordinarily successful, and drew large numbers of Bewick's admirers to 

 examine its contents. As a designer and engraver Bewick had long been 

 known, but very few were aware of his high attainments as a water-colour 

 painter. 



In the early part of 1882 all the drawings exhibited in the 1880 exhibition 

 were presented to the British nation by Miss Isabella Bewick, and they are 

 now deposited in the British Museum, where they are accessible to visitors. 

 It is a curious fact — one, indeed, which led to The Fine Art Society's 

 exhibition — that little or no notice has been taken by any writer on Bewick's 

 works of his wonderful facility as a water-colour painter. Of his capacity as 

 a draughtsman, a designer, a humorist, and a moralist we have continual 

 mention, but as a painter scarcely once by any one. Hugo makes note 

 of several drawings he possessed, but he has little to say about them ; 

 the Chillingham Bull, the Birds, and the Quadrupeds call forth many 



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