Headpiece (page 219) from The Fables of Aesop
Thomas Bewick
British, 1753–1828
1818
A small wood‑engraved headpiece by Thomas Bewick that introduces the fable “The Cock and the Fox,” made to bring a lively, naturalistic scene into the printed book.
At first glance the oval vignette pulls you into a tightly hatched woodland: layers of delicate, crisp lines build deep tonal space while a tiny cock perched in the tree and a cautious fox below form an intimate, dramatic focal point.
Bewick’s compact, highly detailed wood engravings helped redefine book illustration by achieving remarkable tonal nuance and naturalism at a very small scale, shaping nineteenth‑century illustrated publishing and the art of wood engraving.
Medium
Wood engraving from an illustrated book with 323 wood engravings and one etching and engraving
Dimensions
composition: 2 5/16 × 3 3/16" (5.8 × 8.1 cm); page (irreg.): 8 1/4 × 5 5/16" (21 × 13.5 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
The Louis E. Stern Collection
Accession
680.1964.198
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
