The Works of William Lewin

About William

William Lewin, was best known as an English naturalist and illustrator in the late 1700’s. William grew up in Stepney, a district in London’s East end. Stepney grew out of a medieval village around the St. Dunstan’s church, and the 15th century ribbon development of Mile End Road.

Lewin, born in 1747, was the son of a rate mariner. William started his career as a pattern drawer before later in life considering himself a painter. As a painter he specialized in natural history projects.

In 1789 he began work on this most well-known work, The Birds of Great Britain, with Their Eggs, Accurately Figured. The collection took nearly his lifetime to complete. Including 323 watercolors comprised of 271 birds and 52 eggs. All of which Lewin painted himself for the sixty original copies that were published.

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