J. Fenwick Lansdowne

'[A] vibrant and intimate look at [Lansdowne's] life and works.' - Foreword Reviews

A humble man, yet with a commanding presence, J. Fenwick Lansdowne (Canadian, 1937-2008) was a passionate naturalist whose careful study of and innate affinity with the world of birds forged an extraordinary body of work. The first book to present a comprehensive overview of the artist's life and work, J. Fenwick Lansdowne presents more than 160 illustrations, while seven essays provide analytical perspectives and personal reminiscences.

Lansdowne's paintings are as meticulous in their details as they are arresting in their sensitive portrayals. A birder from a young age - he was observing and drawing the avian world as a twelve-year-old - Lansdowne became one of the most renowned and esteemed bird artists of all time. While comparisons are quick to be made with the work of John James Audubon, Lansdowne's paintings uniquely reflect the essential nature of the birds he depicted. As Robert McCracken Peck explains in his essay, it was Lansdowne's 'extraordinary ability to combine the physical, intellectual, and emotional understanding of avian life that allowed [him] to infuse his paintings with such authority and power.'

About the artist: J. Fenwick Lansdowne was born in Hong Kong and raised in Victoria, British Columbia. His first exhibition of watercolors, at the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, at the age of nineteen, met with immediate widespread acclaim and led to his works being exhibited internationally. His many honors included the Order of British Columbia and election to the Royal Academy of Arts.