Charles Frederick Tunnicliffe R.A. OBE (1901-1979), The Spotted Sow, signed, etching, edition size 75, framed. Measurements 17.5 x 25cm (PL), framed measurements 40 x 46.3cm

Note- The Spotted Sow appears in Meyrick R. & Heuser, H., 2017, Charles Tunnicliffe Prints: A Catalogue Raisonne, Royal Academy of Arts, London, number 52, page 82

Charles Frederick Tunnicliffe R.A. OBE (1901-1979) was an internationally celebrated wildlife artist. He was born in Macclesfield and spent much of his early life working on his family's farm before attending the Macclesfield School of Art, winning a scholarship to the Royal College of Art in London shortly after. Following the completion of his studies he relocated to Anglesea in 1947 where he remained for the rest of his life. His used a variety of mediums in his work inlcuding watercolour, etching, engraving and oil. Tunnicliffe is recognised for his accurate and naturalistic portrayal of animals and birds and the lively way he represented his subjects engaging with their surrounding habitats. He was a regular exhibitor with the Royal Academy, but released very few of his works for gallery sale, believing his art was best suited to private homes. He was well known as a book illustrator, particularly his work for Ladybird books, and he had a long relationship with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds for whom he illustrated many magazine covers and who awarded him a Gold Medal for his service in 1978. Tunnicliffe rejected the modern urban art scene of his time in favour of immersing himself within the natural world, insisting upon painting studies direct from nature.