'The Serval'. An African wild cat on a tree branch, viewed in profile. Wood-engraving print on paper. Illustration from the eighth edition (1824) of 'A General History of Quadrupeds' (first published 1790). Designed and engraved by Thomas Bewick. Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Printed 1824.

'The Serval'. An African wild cat on a tree branch, viewed in profile, facing to the right of the image, with its head turned to the viewer.

Formerly C.8991, a list showing both new and old numbers in 64/2371

This design is from the eighth edition (1824) of A General History of Quadrupeds, Thomas Bewick's first major independent publication. It was first printed and published in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1790. The first edition volume contains 199 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: The first engraver to exploit fully the advantages of end-grain wood (the wood is cut across, rather than along, the grain) was Thomas Bewick. 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to be printed in one operation, it ousted the intaglio process as the favourite for book illustration and was only superseded at the end of the nineteenth century when methods of photomechanical reproduction were developed.

This print is from the eighth edition (1824) of Thomas Bewick's A General History of Quadrupeds, that was first published in 1790.

CIRC.500-1964