Study 4 - A study of bird eggs, exploring gentle variations in colour and surface pattern. The restrained composition and generous negative space give the piece a calm, considered presence. Surrounded by a sage linen-style border, the work takes on a subtle warmth, echoing natural fibres and traditional interiors.

Artist: William Hewitson

Date:1833

William Chapman Hewitson, (1806 –1878), was a British naturalist. A wealthy collector, he was particularly devoted to beetles, butterflies and moths and, also, to birds' nests and eggs. His collection of butterflies, collected by him as well as purchased from travellers throughout the world, was one of the largest and most important of his time. He contributed to and published many works on entomology and ornithology and was an accomplished scientific illustrator