A New Work of Animals, by Samuel Howitt, (1756 – 1822) These copperplate engravings were done by Howitt in 1811. Mainly self-taught, Howitt was distinguished both as a painter and etcher of animal scenes and hunts. He lived and worked in London and was married to the sister of Thomas Rowlandson (1756-1827), the great English satirical master. The two artists, in fact, collaborated on some watercolors and aquatint engravings. The complete name for this work is "A New Work of Animals: principally designed from the fables of Aesop, Gay, and Phaedrus". It contained one hundred plates which do not illustrate the fables, but are superb representations of animals, individually and in groups or a naturalistic setting. These engravings after the morality tales of Aesop, Phaedrus and Gay are the finest displays of both Howitt's whimsical personification of the animals and his inherent grasp of the animal amidst the British countryside. Some of the prints have foxing on the borders, none on the engravings themselves. Size (in): 8.5 x 10
