Bishop, Richard E. "Bishop’s Wildfowl: A Collection of Etching and Oil Painting Reproductions by Richard E. Bishop"

Richard E. Bishop.  Bishop’s Wildfowl:  A Collection of Etching and Oil Painting Reproductions by Richard E. Bishop.

St. Paul: Brown & Bigelow, 1948. 282 pages.  Bound in handcrafted mission leather by the publisher, gilt lettering on the front cover, wildfowl pictorial on cover and spine, gilt edges.  Explanatory Text and Stories by Earl Prestrud and Russ Williams. Interior pages unmarked.  Some shelf wear and minor scratches;  otherwise good condition.  

Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975), a Philadelphia artist, was originally trained as an engineer.  His first etching was published in 1920 using an old wedding invitation copper plate.  Bishop, a consummate artist, did his own sketching, etching, and printing.  He also mastered the difficult technique of aquatinting.  In 1936, Bishop’s image “Canada Geese” was honored by being selected for the 1936-37 Duck Stamp.  This was subsequently made into the first published Duck Stamp print.  Bishop specialized in bird studies, and his prints convey the grace of movement and natural beauty of his subject.