Edward Lear

1812–1888

Edward Lear, ‘View of Jerusalem’ 1858 — View of Jerusalem 1858
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Biography

Edward Lear (12 May 1812, Holloway – 29 January 1888, Sanremo) was an English artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet, and is known now mostly for his literary nonsense in poetry and prose and especially his limericks, a form he popularised. His principal areas of work as an artist were threefold: as a draughtsman employed to illustrate birds and animals; making coloured drawings during his journeys, which he reworked later, sometimes as plates for his travel books; as a (minor) illustrator of Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poems. As an author, he is known principally for his popular nonsense collections of poems, songs, short stories, botanical drawings, recipes, and alphabets. He also composed and published twelve musical settings of Tennyson's poetry.

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Artworks

Edward Lear, ‘View of Jerusalem’ 1858

Edward Lear View of Jerusalem

1858

View by appointment N02797

Edward Lear, ‘The Monastery of Simopetra on Mount Athos’ 1856

Edward Lear The Monastery of Simopetra on Mount Athos

1856

T03168

Edward Lear, ‘The Pyramids with the Sphinx and Palms’ 1858

Edward Lear The Pyramids with the Sphinx and Palms

1858

View by appointment N02796

Edward Lear, ‘Philates’ 1856

Edward Lear Philates

1856

View by appointment T01004

Edward Lear, ‘Galera’ 1842

Edward Lear Galera

1842

View by appointment N02749

Edward Lear, ‘View near Cairo’ 1858

Edward Lear View near Cairo

1858

N02752

Edward Lear, ‘Pompey’s Pillar’ 1858

Edward Lear Pompey’s Pillar

1858

View by appointment N02751

Edward Lear, ‘The Capitol, from the Forum’ ?1838

Edward Lear The Capitol, from the Forum

?1838

View by appointment N02748

Features

Tate Etc. issue 13 magazine cover

Tate Etc. issue 13: Summer 2008

TATE ETC Issue 13 Summer 2008: Visiting and revisiting Art, etcetera; online edition of Tate's magazine

David Roberts Ruins of the Great Temple of Karnak 1845

Extraordinary scenes of beautifully arranged horrible wilderness

Briony Llewellyn

British Orientalist Painting

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