Over fifty years of travels Edward Lear made some 9,000 dated landscape drawings. My research uses newly discovered archival material in Lear’s own hand which leads to a clearer understanding of how he used his drawings as a stored image source for his saleable works and as a marketing method with his potential clients.
Images are brought together, many for the first time, to illustrate the sequences in his artistic work. The website contributes a fresh perspective on Lear through new information on the art he created on his travels, and also into artist studio practices in the mid and later 19th century.
The three following sections describe :
- how he used his drawings in order to make a living
- what his market was
- and how he organised his studio so that he could satisfy that market.
Under the 'More' tab you will find reference materials including analysis of his oil painting sales, a Bibliography, a contact form and links to other resources.
Stephen Duckworth
April 2024