The Landseer Series of Picture Books. Containing Sixteen Coloured Illustrations

London, Edinburgh, and New York: Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1880. [JUVENILE] [ART] [ILLUSTRATED]. after LANDSEER, Sir Edwin. (in the style of Landseer)
4to; [32] leaves; brown cloth over beveled board, vignette of dog and dear on front within stamped brown fillets, gilt lettering; blind-stamped fillets on rear; ownership in ink date 1886 on ffep; 16 chromolithographed plates, text printed one side only on facing page; some light offset from lithographs; light scuffing to edges, darkening of edges, offset glue burns to free eps; very good plus. A children’s book containing stories about animals with 16 vibrant chromolithographed plates in the manner (truncated) of the artist Sir Edwin Landseer. Landseer (1802-1873) was an English artist and sculptor known for his illustrations and sculptures of animals. He was considered a child prodigy, and his career started early. He was familiar with the royal family, giving Queen Victoria and Prince Albert etching lessons and completing family portraits. His animal studies were considered to be exceptional. The artist in this volume is not identified, but his renditions of animals closely copies Landseer’s style. The accompanying animal stories are primarily about domesticated dogs and their interaction with children, often with romanticized and tender sensibilities. One story titled “A Distinguished Member of the Humane Society,” tells of the rescue by the family dog of a young child who was washed into the sea. (Inventory #: 2106)