Thomas Bewick (1753-1828) Thomas Bewick is considered to be the finest of all English practitioners of wood engraving. He and his younger brother John (1760-1795) illustrated a number of books that were read by children from the late eighteenth century onwards. His most famous book was The History of British Birds (1797). Charlotte Bronte, in Jane Eyre, has her heroine reading the book and being ...

Red Sandpiper from A History of British Birds by Thomas Bewick Thomas Bewick 1753-1828 Thomas Bewick's name is synonymous with the development of the art of wood engraving. Bewick's early work as an artist and craftsman with wood blocks led him to experiment with cutting designs in hard wood, rather than the soft woods used for woodcuts. Bewick discovered that as fine a detail could be achieved ...

Thomas Bewick's tale-pieces for his Birds of Britain.