{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O117343"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O117343/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HW3584/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HW3584/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2015HW3584","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O117343","accessionNumber":"E.261-1994","objectType":"Drawing","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Walter Spitzer (born 1927) was a printer and painter who continually alternated between the two media and this is shown by the range of techniques used in the images of owls which he gave to poet and scholar Walter Strachan (1903-1994). He was known for his skill with colour, which he used quite vividly. \r\n\r\nPoet and scholar Walter Strachan (1903-1994) was fascinated by the art of the book. His interest was inspired by a visit to an exhibition of artists’ books at the National Gallery in London in May 1945. In due course he wrote many articles on the subject, as well as a major reference work, <i>The Artist and the Book in France</i> (published 1969); he also encouraged successive Keepers of the National Art Library at the V&A “to buy them for England.” To this end he visited France every year, to meet the artists, and acquired proof pages to illustrate his articles and to show to potential purchasers of the books, including the V&A. Over the years he amassed a collection of images of owls; some of these were illustrations from livres d’artistes, and others were designed especially for him as gifts or greetings. The collection of owls began with a visit to the artist Roger Chastel (1897-1981) in 1952, where he witnessed the printing of <i>Le Bestiaire de Paul Eluard</i>. In a subsequent article (“Genesis and Growth of a Collection”, for <i>Connoisseur</i>, 1972) he explained: “My article on Chastel’s <i>Bestiaire</i> had the happy result of bringing me a special print on Auvergne paper of the owl which I had admired in the book. Contacts in the art-world of Paris are close and friendly, and I was marked down as an owl-man, in consequence of which I have gradually been given dedicated owl prints and originals in every medium from pen and ink to enamel…”","physicalDescription":"Pen, ink and watercolour study of an owl in flight. The owl is painted in black, grey and oranges, yellows and greens. The image is on the inside of a folded letter. On the front and back of the folding are two hand-written notes from the arist.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Spitzer, Walter","id":"A15421"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"pen and ink and watercolour","id":"x32505"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"wash technique","id":"AAT182748"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pen, ink and watercolour on paper","categories":[{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Images Online","id":"THES48937"},{"text":"Animals and wildlife","id":"THES250852"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2015HW3584"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLE","id":"THES49657"},"free":"","case":"I","shelf":"6","box":"E"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawing","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1974","earliest":"1974-01-01","latest":"1974-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by Walter Strachan","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"24.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"32.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"open","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"16.25","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"folded","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'W. Spitzer 74'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Artist signature, inscribed in green and grey watercolour, lower right."},{"content":"'Tour de même - vennez vous à Paris ce pacques prochaines? aussie tôt que le spècimen serras prêt je vous l'enverra, - bien entendu! Je parle des cantiques .... Merci pour tout - que vous - pour me faire connaître. Voyez vous - H. Moore? A bientot j'èspere votre - comme toujours - Walter.'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscribed on reverse left."},{"content":"'Merci - tres - / pour votre montage - / je vous souhaite tou des chose / que ca place a mon ècriture / illisible manqueras - Je - / 6 - ai deja fait plusieurs bronzes / (cires perdu) dont 10 - doit / sortir, une petitie plaquette, - / mon travail - et puis je travaille / sur le cantiques des cantiques (même / collection que Alcols d'Appolli/aire) - lithog des / Mourlot. A part ce choses - / je - a la crise que vous / aujourd'hui nous demains / devrons alhouter- et dois - je / vous dire combien c'est un sujet / d'angoisse pour moi et tout ceux / qui j'aime - En fin - Bonne année.'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscribed on reverse right."}],"objectHistory":"This forms part of a collection of prints, drawings and paintings of owls bequeathed to the V&A by Walter Strachan (1903-1994). Strachan, a scholar and collector of Livres d'Artistes, became friendly with a large number of artists, who, on hearing that he had a fondness for owls, began sending him images to add to his collection.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Pen, ink and watercolour wash, owl in flight, by Walter Spitzer, 1974.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"Reason For Production: Private","productionType":{"text":"Unique","id":"THES48864"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"owls","id":"x30399"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.261-1994"],"accessionNumberNum":"261","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1994,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-09-19","recordCreationDate":"2005-09-29","availableToBook":false}}