Fine Art Poster
From $39
A giclée print on 200gsm matte fine art paper, using a twelve-colour process for accurate, fade-resistant colour. Supplied unframed, delivered flat or rolled.
The Owl and the Pussycat - Edward Lear
Regular price
$39.00 USD
Sale price
$39.00 USD
Regular price
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
Secure checkout
Made to order
Description
A classic illustration by Edward Lear for his famous nonsense poem, The Owl and the Pussycat, featuring the iconic pair in their pea-green boat.
This illustration accompanies Edward Lear's celebrated nonsense poem, first published in the 1871 collection, Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany and Alphabets. Lear, a polymath known for his ornithological drawings and travel sketches, brought a distinct, whimsical sensibility to his literary work. The image depicts the two protagonists in their pea-green boat, with the Owl strumming a guitar and the Pussycat seated beside a jar of honey.
Lear's draughtsmanship is characterised by a loose, expressive line. He avoids rigid anatomical precision, favouring a sense of movement and character that suits the absurdity of the narrative. The cross-hatching on the cat and the simple, rhythmic lines representing the water demonstrate his ability to convey texture and environment with minimal means. This specific drawing captures the central moment of the poem, where the unlikely pair embarks on their journey across the sea.
Unlike his formal scientific illustrations, these sketches reveal a more playful side of Lear's output. The composition is straightforward, focusing entirely on the interaction between the two figures. The inclusion of the honey jar serves as a direct visual reference to the text, grounding the fantastical scene in the specific details of the poem. This print offers a glimpse into the Victorian era's fascination with nonsense verse, a genre that allowed artists to break away from the constraints of realism. The work remains a classic example of how text and image can function in tandem to create a cohesive, imaginative world. By stripping away unnecessary detail, Lear ensures the focus remains on the charm of the characters and the humour of their situation.
Return policy
Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
Shipping
We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Complete The Look
The Owl and the Pussycat - Edward Lear
Regular price
From $39.00 USD
Sale price
From $39.00 USD
Regular price
Fine Art Poster / Small Square (30x30 cm) / -
Artist Biography
Edward Lear
By the time Edward Lear was 20, he had completed his scientific illustration volume on parrots for the Zoological Society of London, a project that caught the attention of the 13th Earl of Derby. That commission led to a five-year residency at Knowsley Hall, where Lear drew the Earl's private menagerie and, for the grandchildren of the household, filled notebooks with limericks and comic drawings. A Book of Nonsense was published in 1846; the expanded edition under his own name in 1861 established him as the forefather of the limerick as a literary form.
His landscape career ran simultaneously. From the 1840s he made extended sketching tours through Italy, Albania, Greece, Egypt, Palestine, India, and Ceylon, producing illustrated travel journals of careful documentary precision. In 1846 Queen Victoria sought him out as a drawing teacher, having admired his Italian lithographs; he gave her twelve lessons. Brief study under William Holman Hunt in 1852 introduced Pre-Raphaelite rigour to his oils, though his watercolours and pen-and-ink drawings remain his most direct legacy.
Lear suffered from epilepsy throughout his life, calling it the Demon and concealing it carefully from a society ill-equipped to understand it. He was severely shortsighted from childhood and lived with considerable loneliness, despite the warmth of his nonsense verse. He settled in San Remo in 1871, eventually naming his house Villa Tennyson after his close friend Alfred, Lord Tennyson, for whom he composed settings of 212 poems.
His cat, Foss, was his companion for 15 years. When Lear moved to a larger house in San Remo, he had it built to identical proportions so Foss would not be disoriented. Foss died two months before Lear, in January 1888. The Owl and the Pussycat (1871), containing the word runcible spoon, now in everyday English use, is his most enduring poem.
His landscape career ran simultaneously. From the 1840s he made extended sketching tours through Italy, Albania, Greece, Egypt, Palestine, India, and Ceylon, producing illustrated travel journals of careful documentary precision. In 1846 Queen Victoria sought him out as a drawing teacher, having admired his Italian lithographs; he gave her twelve lessons. Brief study under William Holman Hunt in 1852 introduced Pre-Raphaelite rigour to his oils, though his watercolours and pen-and-ink drawings remain his most direct legacy.
Lear suffered from epilepsy throughout his life, calling it the Demon and concealing it carefully from a society ill-equipped to understand it. He was severely shortsighted from childhood and lived with considerable loneliness, despite the warmth of his nonsense verse. He settled in San Remo in 1871, eventually naming his house Villa Tennyson after his close friend Alfred, Lord Tennyson, for whom he composed settings of 212 poems.
His cat, Foss, was his companion for 15 years. When Lear moved to a larger house in San Remo, he had it built to identical proportions so Foss would not be disoriented. Foss died two months before Lear, in January 1888. The Owl and the Pussycat (1871), containing the word runcible spoon, now in everyday English use, is his most enduring poem.
Made to order
Choose your finish
Every piece is printed to order. These are the five finishes, and what makes each one different.
Fine Art Framed
From $119
The same fine art print in a solid wood frame with UV-protective acrylic glaze and rigid backing. Five frame colours. Arrives ready to hang.
Why Choose Us ?
Damage-free delivery guarantee
Fast Shipping
Museum-Quality Materials
You May Also Like