The Parrots by Edward Lear: an exhibition of fine art prints of Lear’s illustrations of parrots opens on Monday 8th August in the Art and Design Library in Central Library on George IV Bridge, Edinburgh. The exhibition runs from October 8th to October 31st.
Edward Lear is famous for his nonsense poetry and travel writing, but before his literary career, he was a talented ornithological illustrator. In 1830, when Lear was still a teenager, he embarked on an ambitious and comprehensive series of hand-coloured lithographs. This remarkable series of fine drawings was published under the title Illustrations of the Family of Psittacidae, or Parrots and consisted of 42 drawings published in an edition of 175.
The exhibition features fine art prints of all 42 of these beautiful drawings, bringing a gorgeous splash of colour and life to the Art and Design Library.
Tales of One City 