ORIGINAL WATERCOLOUR OF A FRITILLARY SPECIES [butterfly]

UK Painting. Illus. by Chris Shields. Good. Unframed. 9 x 18.5 cm. A fine watercolour illustration of a Fritillary species, signed bottom left. The image size is approximately 90 x 185 mm mounted on mounting board of slightly larger dimensions. Almost certainly a watercolour commissioned for an illustration in a publication (see below) as to the top of the mounting board has marks left by the fixing of a previous overlay. In good to very good condition with a few inconspicuous handling and other marks. Some staining to the reverse of the mounting board. A very well executed watercolour. [Biography: British artist and wildlife illustrator Chris Shields graduated Northwich College of Art and Design in 1973. For many decades he has pursued his passion for wildlife as a full-time self-employed illustrator, and is now regarded as one of the world's leading exponents of this genera. He has contributed wildlife illustrations to over 300 books, numerous calendars, greeting cards, postcards (including a fine series of 30 postcards of British birds for Grange Books/Royle) posters and jigsaw puzzles. He has exhibited his paintings widely in the UK and China and his paintings are held in public and private collections worldwide. He has a particular interest in moths and butterflies and was President of the Manchester Entomological Society. His illustrations of insects are particularly accomplished, very much in the best tradition of fine zoological illustration. Undoubtedly these highly detailed and accurate gouache and watercolour studies of wildlife subjects are his forte. His more expressive work is not always so successful.] 0.