Edward Lear (1812-1888)

Having spent the winter of 1867-68 in Cannes, Lear left for Corsica at the beginning of April 1868. He reached the Forest of Bavella on 28 April and commented in his journal that 'a journey to Corsica is worth any amount of expense and trouble, if but to look on this scene alone' (Lear, op. cit., p. 92). On May 31 he spent time in the Valley of the Asco noting that 'there are few views of the kind better worth drawing. Looking up the great valley of the Asco, the peaks and crags of what I suppose to be the summits of Monte Traunato and Monte Cinto fill the whole of the picture with an array of giant pinnacles, finer in its way than anything I have seen' (Lear, op. cit., p. 234).

For two other drawings executed on Lear's trip to Corsica see lot 53.

We are grateful to Vivien Noakes for her help in preparing this catalogue entry.