Headpiece (page 255) from The Fables of Aesop
Thomas Bewick
British, 1753–1828
1818
A small wood engraving by Thomas Bewick that serves as the headpiece for the fable “The Vain Jack‑daw,” made to illustrate and introduce the story at the top of the page.
A compact oval vignette strikes with its lively contrast and tiny, precise lines: a modest jack‑daw awkwardly among ostentatious, fanned peacocks whose intricately hatched plumage fills the frame and gives the scene a teasing, moralized charm.
Bewick’s wood engravings brought naturalistic detail and expressive character into cheaply produced books, helping to popularize illustrated storytelling and transform nineteenth‑century print culture.
Medium
Wood engraving from an illustrated book with 323 wood engravings and one etching and engraving
Dimensions
composition: 2 5/16 × 3 1/8" (5.8 × 8 cm); page (irreg.): 8 1/4 × 5 5/16" (21 × 13.5 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
The Louis E. Stern Collection
Accession
680.1964.224
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
