Cadogan Guide Lear's Italy: In The Footsteps Of Edward Lear

Born in London, the youngest of thirteen children, Edward Lear''s father was declared bankrupt and he was raised by his eldest sister, beginning his career at London Zoo as one of the early bird illustrators, which led to private commissions by various patrons, including Lord Derbyshire, for whose children Lear wrote The Book of Nonsense. He ceased detailed black and white drawings when his eyesight began to fail and turned to painting. It was owing to his ill health, that he lived in Italy for most of his adult life apart from a 12-year-gap in Corfu during the Risorgimento, travelling the entire country and documenting it in his paintings, diaries and letters. A prolific letter writer (sometimes writing 20 before breakfast), Lear''s Italy documents the life of a remarkable character, whilst in a country he travelled and was inspired by.