Online
Gallery
A small
sample of Bewick's work
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Technical Background
This page provides a brief introduction to the technology
of Bewick's image production. Photographs of boxwood blocks
in various states, of his tools and of the printing presses
used in print workshops of the period are shown. Bewick did
not invent boxwood engraving as such, but he developed techniques
of drawing, cutting and printing which attracted much attention.
It led to the new phenomenon of the popular illustrated book
where letterpress text and engraved woodblock could be set into
the same printer's forme to be printed together, thus reducing
the cost of illustration (and therefore of publication) and
changing the appearance of the printed page. This technique
went on to dominate nineteenth century illustrated book production. |
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Major Publications
This page shows examples of the figures from the major printed
works that made Bewick's reputation. The two large prints from
the beginning and end of his career are shown (The Chillingham
Bull and Waiting for Death), and a selection of figures
from A History of Quadrupeds, A History of British
Birds (Volume 1 on Land Birds, Volume 2 on Water Birds),
and The Fables of Aesop are included here. Most of the
figures are by Thomas Bewick's own hand, observation and imagination.
Except for Aesop, these were mainly executed in the evenings
after a day's work in the shop. [For Vignettes and Tailpieces
from these works, please see the separate pages under the heading below.] |
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Vignettes, Tailpieces etc
Vignettes are supplementary images included in illustrated
works as decorations to fill blank space on the page. They are
not necessarily relevant to the main illustrations (which are
here referred to as 'figures'). Tailpieces are vignettes specifically
placed at the end of sections or chapters. Bewick sometimes
referred to these punningly as his 'talepieces' because they
often represent an event with narrative implications. Owing
to the freedom of invention possible in these kinds of image
Bewick took more pleasure in these designs than in any other
of his works. The page divides the samples shown into four
categories: firstly, those drawn and cut by Thomas Bewick
himself; secondly, those drawn by an apprentice but cut by Bewick;
thirdly, those drawn by Bewick but cut by an apprentice; and
fourthly, those drawn and cut by an apprentice. [See also below.] |
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Apprentice Work by John
Bewick, Robert Bewick and others
This page shows a few examples of the work of the Bewick
apprentices, usually reprinted without any attempt to distinguish
them from their apprentice-master. Thomas Bewick's brother,
John Bewick, (who died young after a promising start to his
career in London) and his son Robert Elliot Bewick (who stayed
in Newcastle and carried on the business after his father's
death) are often confused with each other and with their father.
Perhaps the most prominent of the many other apprentices were
Robert Johnson and Luke Clennell. Insofar as their work was
produced in the Thomas Bewick workshop, it is assumed that Thomas
directed, supervised, corrected and approved all their work
as their master and instructor. |
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