George Edwards Prints and Multiples
English, 1694-1773
Known today as the Father of British Ornithology, George Edwards was a draftsman and naturalist who popularized the art of bird and animal illustrations throughout the 18th century. His main collections of etchings, which were bound as the volumes A Natural History of Uncommon Birds and Gleaning of Natural History, together comprise more than 600 animals and were the first works to delineate many of the featured species.
Edwards cultivated an interest in natural history while traveling around Europe, becoming particularly enamored with birds. Upon his return to the United Kingdom, in 1733, Irish physicist Hans Sloane, an acquaintance of British naturalists/illustrators Eleazar Albin and Mark Catesby, offered Edwards a librarian position at the Royal College of Physicians. The job granted him access to a large collection of works on natural history, which he explored enthusiastically.
With instruction from Catesby, Edwards learned etching and spent much of his time preparing plates and drawings for his books. While Edwards hand-colored his early editions, later works were colored in by other artists, like British artist Peter Paillou, allowing Edwards to focus on etching and writing.
George Edwards earned his reputation for both his illustrations and written descriptions of his subjects — widely acclaimed for their accuracy. Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus cited Edwards’s texts when developing his major work, Systema Naturæ. The Royal Society in London awarded Edwards the Copley Medal in 1750 for outstanding achievement in the field of science. Edwards retired in 1763 to Plaistow, England, and died in 1773.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of George Edwards engravings and wall decorations.
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Artist: George Edwards
A Group of Twelve 18th Century engravings of Parrots.
By George Edwards
Located in London, GB
Edwards, George
Parrots, a group of twelve.
London, For the author, at the College of Physicians in Warwick-Lane. 1747-1751
Decorative plates for “A Natural History of Birds” one ...
Category
Mid-18th Century Naturalistic George Edwards Prints and Multiples
Materials
Watercolor, Engraving
Set of Two Hand-Colored Ornithological Engravings by George Edwards /// Bird Art
By George Edwards
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: George Edwards (English, 1694-1773)
Title: "Set of Two Hand-Colored Ornithological Engravings by George Edwards"
Portfolio: A Natural History of Uncommon Birds, and of Some Other Rare and Undescribed Animals / Gleanings Of Natural History
Year: 1743-1764
Medium: Set of Two Original Hand-Colored Engravings on watermarked laid and wove papers
Limited edition: Unknown
Printer: C. Rickaby, London, UK
Publisher: William Gardiner and Messrs. Robinson, London, UK
Reference: Mullens and Swann page 194-195; Anker No. 124-126; Fine Bird Books page 93; Lisney page 128-144; Nissen IVB No. 286-288; Zimmer page 192-198
Sheet size (each): approx. 11.25" x 9"
Image size (each): approx. 8.63" x 7.38"
Condition: "90" has faint offsetting to sheet. "308" has one foxmark center right. They are both otherwise in excellent condition with strong colors
Notes:
Comes from Edwards seven volume portfolio "A Natural History of Uncommon Birds, and of Some Other Rare and Undescribed Animals" / "Gleanings Of Natural History" (1743-1764), which consists of 362 hand-colored engravings. "90" is on laid paper with a "fleur-de-lis" watermark at center left edge. "308" is on wove paper with no watermark. The last image of the cover title sheets is for reference/provenance; it is not included.
Biography:
George Edwards FRS (3 April 1694 – 23 July 1773) was an English naturalist and ornithologist, known as the "father of British ornithology". Edwards was born at West Ham...
Category
1740s Old Masters George Edwards Prints and Multiples
Materials
Watercolor, Laid Paper, Engraving, Intaglio
Pair of Hand-Colored Pelican Engravings
By George Edwards
Located in New York, NY
The Merican Pelican and The Pelican from George Edwards "A Natural History of Birds, Most of which have not been figured or described and others very little known..." published in Lo...
Category
1740s George Edwards Prints and Multiples
Materials
Paper
George Edwards: c18th Engravings of Birds in Decalcomania Frames
By George Edwards
Located in Richmond, GB
George Edwards: "A History of Uncommon Birds", 1749-1761.
A prominent English naturalist and ornithologist, George Edwards (1694 -1773) is best known for his work, ""A Natural Histo...
Category
18th Century George Edwards Prints and Multiples
Materials
Etching, Watercolor
George Edwards: 18th Century Engravings of Ducks And Wading Birds
By George Edwards
Located in Richmond, GB
George Edwards: ""A History of Uncommon Birds"", 1749-1761.
A prominent English naturalist and ornithologist, George Edwards (1694 -1773) is best known for his work, ""A Natural Hi...
Category
18th Century George Edwards Prints and Multiples
Materials
Engraving, Watercolor
Traveling animals - Original etching enhanced with watercolor
By George Edwards
Located in Paris, IDF
George EDWARDS
Traveling animals
Original engraving enhanced with watercolor
Signed in the plate and dated, 1746
28.6 x 23.5 cm
From Volume II of the Natural History of Birds, plat...
Category
1740s Academic George Edwards Prints and Multiples
Materials
Engraving
George Edwards: c18th Engravings of Birds in Decalcomania Frames
By George Edwards
Located in Richmond, GB
George Edwards: "A History of Uncommon Birds", 1749-1761.
A prominent English naturalist and ornithologist, George Edwards (1694 -1773) is best known for his work, ""A Natural Histo...
Category
18th Century George Edwards Prints and Multiples
Materials
Watercolor, Etching
Hand-Colored Madagascar Parrot Engraving
By George Edwards
Located in New York, NY
Original engraving, hand-colored at the time of publication, after the work of George Edwards from "Sammlung verschneider auslandischer und seltener Vogel" by Johann Michael Seligmann. Tab IX. Le Perroquet...
Category
Mid-18th Century George Edwards Prints and Multiples
Materials
Laid Paper
Bird and Beetle - Etching and watercolor (Natural History of Birds, 1741)
By George Edwards
Located in Paris, IDF
George EDWARDS
Bird and beetle ('The Gowry Bird')
Original engraving, enhanced with watercolor
Printed signature in the plate
Dated, 1741
28.8 x 23.3 cm
Created for Volume I of the...
Category
1740s Academic George Edwards Prints and Multiples
Materials
Engraving, Watercolor
Turtles - Original Lithograph by George Edwards - 19th Century
By George Edwards
Located in Roma, IT
Turtles is an original print realized by George Edwards in the 18th century.
Color lithograph.
Original Title: Die kleine Moraft Tchildgröte, Tab. LXXVII.
Good conditions, except...
Category
19th Century George Edwards Prints and Multiples
Materials
Lithograph
Hand-Colored Penguin Engraving
By George Edwards
Located in New York, NY
Original engraving, hand-colored at the time of publication, after the work of George Edwards from "Sammlung verschneider auslandischer und seltener Vogel" by Johann Michael Seligma...
Category
Mid-18th Century George Edwards Prints and Multiples
Materials
Laid Paper
Hand-Colored Swan Engraving
By George Edwards
Located in New York, NY
"The Wild Swan" by George Edwards from "A Natural History of Birds, Most of which have not been figured or described and others very little known..." published in London between 174...
Category
1740s George Edwards Prints and Multiples
Materials
Paper
Set of Two Hand-Colored Ornithological Engravings by George Edwards /// Bird Art
By George Edwards
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: George Edwards (English, 1694-1773)
Title: "Set of Two Hand-Colored Ornithological Engravings by George Edwards"
Portfolio: A Natural History of Uncommon Birds, and of Some O...
Category
1740s Old Masters George Edwards Prints and Multiples
Materials
Watercolor, Laid Paper, Engraving, Intaglio
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George Edwards: c18th Engravings of Birds in Decalcomania Frames
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George Edwards (1694 – 1773) was an English naturalist and ornithologist, known as the "father of British ornithology".Edwards was born at Stratford, Essex. In his early years he travelled extensively through mainland Europe, studying natural history, and gained some reputation for his coloured drawings of animals, especially birds.
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H 9 in W 7.25 in D 1 in
George Edwards: c18th Engravings of Birds in Decalcomania Frames
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18th Century George Edwards Prints and Multiples
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George Edwards: c18th Engravings of Birds in Decalcomania Frames
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18th Century George Edwards Prints and Multiples
Materials
Watercolor, Etching
Hand-Colored Penguin Engraving
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Located in New York, NY
Original engraving, hand-colored at the time of publication, after the work of George Edwards from "Sammlung verschneider auslandischer und seltener Vogel" by Johann Michael Seligma...
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Mid-18th Century George Edwards Prints and Multiples
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18th Century Hand Colored George Edwards Lanius (Shrike) Bird Engraving
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18th century hand colored copper-plate engraving of an exotic bird, "Lanius, cauda forcipata" or Shrike, Tab VII from "A Natural History of Uncommon Birds, and of some other Rare and...
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1760s George Edwards Prints and Multiples
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H 19.25 in W 16.75 in D 0.88 in
18th Century Hand Colored Bird Engraving by George Edwards
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18th century hand colored copper-plate engraving of an exotic bird, "Avis quaedam specici mixtae, ex Gallo Indico et Phafiano natae" (a type of Pheasant), Tab XXVII from from "A Natu...
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George Edwards prints and multiples for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic George Edwards prints and multiples available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by George Edwards in paint, watercolor, paper and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 18th century and is mostly associated with the Old Masters style. Not every interior allows for large George Edwards prints and multiples, so small editions measuring 8 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Mark Catesby, Samuel Sydney, and Georg Dionysius Ehret. George Edwards prints and multiples prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $263 and tops out at $1,650, while the average work can sell for $750.