General Auction of 1046 Lots inc. Antique Enamelled Signs, Vintage Gaming Consoles, G-Plan, Art, Silver & Gold, Wedgewood, Doulton, Many Tools, White Goods, Georgian & Victorian Furniture etc.
Lot 1021: E. Lear, Little Egret (Ardea garzetta), Hand-Coloured Lithograph, 1833
This hand-coloured lithograph depicts a Little Egret (Ardea garzetta, Linn.) in profile, after the original work by Edward Lear. The print features the artist’s name and date inscribed as E. LEAR 1833. within the matrix at the lower right corner. Centred below the illustration are the titles LITTLE EGRET and the scientific name in uppercase serif type. The work is characteristic of Lear’s celebrated ornithological illustrations produced for John Gould’s The Birds of Europe. The print is presented behind a double mat of blue-grey and white, housed within a gilt-edged wooden frame. The technique displays the fine, fluid lines characteristic of early 19th-century lithography, with hand-applied watercolour washes to the plumage and landscape elements. No plate marks are visible as the sheet is obscured by the mount.
Condition report:
The paper substrate exhibits significant and widespread foxing throughout the visible area of the sheet. There is evidence of general toning and age-related discolouration. The quality of the lithographic impression and the hand-applied colour remains well-preserved and legible despite the paper condition. The frame shows minor surface wear and some dust accumulation but remains in good structural condition.
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