Illustrations of the Family of Psittacidae, or Parrots, published in 1830, established the career of the 19-year-old ornithological draughtsman who would eventually become a defining figure in Victorian literature. Beyond his scientific precision as an illustrator, he cultivated a lifelong reputation for literary nonsense, popularizing the limerick and crafting an extensive array of poems, songs, and short stories.
Early Development and Health
Born in 1812 in Highgate, London, Edward Lear was the youngest of 21 children. His upbringing was marked by financial instability following his father's insolvency at the London Stock Exchange. Raised primarily by his sister Ann, Lear endured significant health challenges throughout his life, including asthma, bronchitis, partial blindness, and chronic epilepsy. His first seizure at a fair during childhood left him with a lasting sense of shame, and he often suffered from periods of intense melancholia he dubbed the Morbids.
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Lear began working professionally at 16, contributing his skills to the Zoological Society and the Earl of Derby at Knowsley Hall. He distinguished himself by drawing birds from life rather than preserved skins, a practice that earned him comparisons to John James Audubon. As his eyesight failed, he transitioned from precise ornithological illustration to landscape painting. His extensive travels throughout the Ottoman Empire, Greece, and India resulted in numerous wash drawings, which he later refined into oil and watercolour paintings characterized by intense light and colour contrast.
Travel and Literary Production
Between 1842 and 1847, Lear explored the Italian Peninsula, documenting the landscape and traditions of regions including Lazio, Abruzzo, and Sicily. These observations were synthesized into his travel literature, such as his journals covering southern Calabria. Alongside his artistic pursuits, he gained acclaim for nonsense collections, including his famous Book of Nonsense. He also harbored a long-standing desire to illustrate the poetry of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, an ambition he realized near the end of his life.
Musical Compositions
Though he never pursued a professional musical career, Lear was a skilled performer of the piano, accordion, flute, and guitar. He created twelve musical settings for Tennyson’s poetry—the only ones the poet approved—and composed melodies for his own nonsense songs, such as The Owl and the Pussy-Cat. While many scores were lost, some pieces, including The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò and The Pelican Chorus, survive as evidence of his musical contributions to social gatherings.
Fast facts
- Born: 1812, Highgate, London
- Died: 1888, Sanremo
- Citizenship: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
- Notable work: The Book of Nonsense
- Ornithological contribution: Illustrations of the Family of Psittacidae
- Musical focus: Settings of Tennyson's poetry
- Artistic legacy: Lear's macaw (Anodorhynchus leari)
Questions readers ask
Did Edward Lear ever work professionally as a musician?
No, he never played professionally but frequently performed his own songs and musical settings at social gatherings.
What was the inspiration behind the naming of Lear's macaw?
The bird, Anodorhynchus leari, was named in honour of his early, highly detailed bird illustrations.
Achievements
- Notable work: The Book of Nonsense
