Myles Birkett-Foster was born in North Shields in 1825 and was taken to London as a child. From age 16 he was apprenticed as a wood engraver to Ebenezer Landells. He initially earned his living drawing for various magazines including the Illustrated London News and became recognised as a very prolific black and white artist, who also illustrated many books. However by late 1850s, he had turned largely to working in watercolour because he found it to be more lucrative, and in 1859 he began exhibiting at the Royal Academy London, to raise his profile. He was elected to the Royal Watercolour Society (RWS) in 1860 and by the time of his death in 1899 had exhibited some 300 watercolours at the RWS gallery alone. His watercolours have sometimes been criticised for their formulaic treatment and the sentimentality of the subjects. However, there is no doubt as to their technical accomplishment, it was this that made Birkett Foster one of the most skilled watercolourists to emerge in the Victorian era.

"The Cottage"

Size: 135mm x 200mm

Medium: Watercolour

Price:  Price on application