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The Arabian Camel, or Dromedary

Wood-Engraving Print
1790 (first published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A camel viewed in profile, standing, facing to the left of the image.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe Arabian Camel, or Dromedary
Materials and techniques
Wood-engraving print on laid paper
Brief description
'The Arabian Camel, or Dromedary' viewed in profile, standing, facing to the left of the image. Wood-engraving print on paper. Illustration featured in 'A General History of Quadrupeds' (first published 1790). Engraved by Thomas Bewick. Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
Physical description
A camel viewed in profile, standing, facing to the left of the image.
Dimensions
  • Of sheet height: 11.7cm
  • Of sheet width: 13.4cm
Measured by DH 07/09/2010
Object history
Formerly C.8982, a list showing both new and old numbers in 64/2371

This engraving features in Thomas Bewick's first major independent publication, A General History of Quadrupeds, first printed and published in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1790. It contains illustrations of animals, alongside brief descriptions of their appearance, habits and habitats, accompanied by a number of illustrative vignettes, used mainly as tailpieces.

Historical significance: Thomas Bewick was the first engraver to exploit fully the advantages of end-grain wood (the wood is cut across, rather than along, the grain). Once it had been proved that the technique could rival the fine effects of metal engraving, the advantages of wood engraving to the book trade were quickly recognised. Allowing both text and illustration to be printed in one operation, it ousted the intaglio process as the favourite for book illustration and was only superseded at the end of the nineteenth century when methods of photomechanical reproduction were developed.
Production
Thomas Bewick's A General History of Quadrupeds was first published in 1790.
Subject depicted
Bibliographic reference
Taken from Departmental Circulation Register 1964
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.497-1964

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Record createdJuly 1, 2009
Record URL
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