{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1107443"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1107443/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1107443","accessionNumber":"CIRC.556-1964","objectType":"Wood-Engraving Print","titles":[{"title":"The Sand-Bear","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"A 'sand-bear' (a badger-like animal), standing in the corner of a room or box. It is viewed in profile, facing to the right of the image, with its head turned toward the viewer and lowered to sniff the ground. A simple frame encloses the image.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Bewick, Thomas","id":"A6564"},"association":{"text":"engravers (printmakers)","id":"AAT25165"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"laid paper","id":"AAT14184"},{"text":"printing ink","id":"AAT187371"}],"techniques":[{"text":"wood-engraving (process)","id":"AAT53303"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Wood-engraving print on laid paper","categories":[{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"},{"text":"Illustration","id":"THES48938"},{"text":"Animals and Wildlife","id":"THES250852"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLE","id":"THES49657"},"free":"","case":"Z","shelf":"2","box":"B"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"wood-engravings","id":"AAT41402"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Newcastle upon Tyne","id":"x29507"},"association":{"text":"printed and published","id":"x35383"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1791?","earliest":"1791-01-01","latest":"1791-12-31"},"association":{"text":"first published","id":"x46563"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"14.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"of sheet","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"16.4-16.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"of sheet","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measured by DH 01/10/2010","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Formerly C.8993, a list showing both new and old numbers in 64/2371\r\n\r\nThis engraving featured in Thomas Bewick's first major independent publication, <i>A General History of Quadrupeds</i>, first printed and published in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1790. The publication contains illustrations of animals, alongside brief descriptions of their appearance, habits and habitats, accompanied by a number of illustrative vignettes, used mainly as tailpieces. This is possibly the second state of the engraving, which first appeared in the second (1791) edtion. \r\n\r\n\r\nThe text accompanying the illustration (in the publication) reads as follows: \r\n\r\n'<i>We have given the figure of this animal, drawn form one kept in the Tower; of which we have not been able to obtain any further description, than its being somewhat less than the Badger, almost without hair, extremely sensible of cold, and burrows in the ground. From these circumstances, as well as from the striking similarity of its figure to that of the Badger, we are inclined to think it is a variety of that animal, mentioned by naturalists under the name of the </i>Sow-Badger<i>. \r\nIts colour is a yellowish-white: Its eyes are small; and its head thicker than that of the common Badger: Its legs are short; and on each foot there are four toes, armed with sharp white claws. \r\nM. Brisson describes a white Badger, from New-York, so similar to this, that we suspect it to be the same species.</i>' \r\n\r\nTaken from: Beilby, Ralph and Bewick, Thomas. <u>A General History of Quadrupeds</u>. Newcastle upon Tyne. Third Edition, 1792.\n\nHistorical significance: Thomas Bewick was the first engraver to exploit fully the advantages of end-grain wood (the wood is cut across, rather than along, the grain). Once it had been proved that the technique could rival the fine effects of metal engraving, the advantages of wood engraving to the book trade were quickly recognised. Allowing both text and illustration to be printed in one operation, it ousted the intaglio process as the favourite for book illustration and was only superseded at the end of the nineteenth century when methods of photomechanical reproduction were developed.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"'The Sand-Bear'. A badger-like animal standing in the corner of a room or box. Wood-engraving print on paper. Illustration first featured in the second (1791) edtion of 'A General History of Quadrupeds' (first published 1790). Engraved by Thomas Bewick. Newcastle upon Tyne, England.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Taken from Departmental Circulation Register 1964"}],"production":"Thomas Bewick's <i>A General History of Quadrupeds</i> was first published in 1790. This is possibly the second state of the engraving, which first appeared in the second (1791) edtion.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Beilby, Ralph","id":"AUTH400873"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"sand-bear (animal)","id":"x46688"},{"text":"badger","id":"x30169"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["CIRC.556-1964"],"accessionNumberNum":"556","accessionNumberPrefix":"CIRC","accessionYear":1964,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-05","recordCreationDate":"2009-07-01","availableToBook":false}}