Headpiece (page 257) from The Fables of Aesop
Thomas Bewick
British, 1753–1828
1818
A small oval wood engraving by Thomas Bewick that serves as a headpiece for the fable “The Lion and the Mouse,” aiming to illustrate the story’s moral while ornamenting the page.
You'd be struck by the tiny, densely engraved oval scene—tight cross-hatching creating deep shadow beneath a tree, a lion entangled in a net and a diminutive mouse at work on the ropes—set above the printed tale like a miniature stage.
Bewick’s finely detailed wood engravings helped redefine book illustration in the early 19th century by bringing naturalistic detail, narrative clarity, and decorative unity to cheaply produced books, influencing generations of printmakers and illustrated publishing.
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
680.1964.226
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
