The Life and Work of Birket Foster R.W.S.

Rexine, 8vo, xx, 216 pp, 72 colour plates and 19 monochrome illustrations. From the blurb: "Birket Foster, or Myles Birket Foster, to give the artist his full name, was born in North Shields in Northumberland on 4th February 1825. He came from an established family of North Country Quakers, who owned land in Lancashire and Northumberland. He was the seventh child and sixth son of his parents; his father, also called Myles Birket Foster, had 'emigrated' to London in 1830, travelling from Newcastle by sea. It was in London, therefore, that young Birket Foster grew up and when he left school, he started work in his father's firm. This did not last long. An accident with a corkscrew convinced his father that he would be better off pursuing an artistic career and through the agency of the north country connection his father arranged for him to be apprenticed to Ebenezer Landells. Landells was an extraordinary man. A former apprentice of Thomas Bewick, he had come to London from Newcastle, and ran an engraving business; but his chief claim to fame is that he founded Punch. Under Landells, Birket Foster became friends with many of the leading engravers and artists of the day. His particular friend was Edmund Evans, latterly the most famous colour printer of the 19th century and promoter of Kate Greenaway. It would be true to say that of all the Victorian artists Birket Foster has remained one of the most sought after and the most popularthe many lovely colour reproductions, over 70 in all, reproduced in this book show why his art is so much in demand." Very Good in Very Good dustwrapper. …