Charles Hamilton Smith
Bison Americanus, 1850s
Watercolor and graphite
16 x 13 1/2 inches
With manuscript caption recto
With manuscript caption recto
Charles Hamilton Smith (1776–1859) was a British Army officer, naturalist and prolific self-taught illustrator. He began drawing as a youth and continued throughout his military career and extensive travels, eventually...
Charles Hamilton Smith (1776–1859) was a British Army officer, naturalist and prolific self-taught illustrator. He began drawing as a youth and continued throughout his military career and extensive travels, eventually assembling thousands of watercolors and natural-history studies. His animal drawings included work from preserved specimens, trips to menageries across Europe, as well as adaptations of other naturalists’ images.