Lot 15053: Low - Cow: The Devon Breed. 10

This folio, hand-colored lithograph is from David Low's The Breeds of the Domestic Animals of the British Islands. The work was published in London by Wilson & Ogilvie for Longman, Orme, Brown, Green, and Longmans in 1842. The lithograph was completed by Fairland from a drawing by William Nicholson that was after a painting by William Shiels. The image is a beautiful and carefully observed portrait of one of the most historically important breeds of cow. The work was a famous pioneering work illustrating the forerunners of all of today's most important breeds of horses, cows, sheep and pigs.

David Low, professor of Agriculture at Edinburgh University, produced these beautiful lithographs as a reference for those interested in the infant science of selective breeding. He was concerned that the relatively simple basic concepts of matching a breed to its environment whilst improving its productivity were not understood by the majority of farmers or breeders. With the help of a government grant from Earl Spencer, Low set up the agricultural museum in Edinburgh. The artist William Shiels of the Royal Scottish Academy was commissioned to produce a series of paintings of all the significant breeds of economic significance in Great Britain at the time. These paintings were then used as the basis for Low's important work.

Mat Size ~ 17 3/4" by 15 3/4"; Paper Size ~ 16 1/2" by 12"

Hand-colored Lithograph

1842

Overall Very Good. There are a few light, unobtrusive marks at the edges. There may be a few minor imperfections to be expected with age. Please review the image carefully for condition and contact with any questions.

The Breeds of the Domestic Animals of the British Islands