Thomas Bowler. His life and work

Number 476 of one thousand copies, numbered and signed by the author.  4to; original pale blue cloth, lettered in gilt on spine and with gilt publisher's device to upper cover; dustwrapper (housed in removable protector); pp. 318, incl. index; full-page colour reproductions of twenty-eight Bowler paintings; folding full-colour illustration, prepared for this work, mounted to rear pastedown; numerous monochrome illustrations; some line drawings, and two portraits of the artist, prepared for this work, tipped in.  Dustwrapper, edges, and outermost leaves a little foxed, occasional light foxing elsewhere; edges of boards a little rubbed; upper hinge very slightly tender; loosely inserted prospectus for a Thomas Bowler exhibition.  Very good condition. 

"The emphasis in this book is on Bowler's work: there is an exhaustive and definitive catalogue of all his known paintings, with detailed notes on authenticity, provenance, ownership, size and condition; 193 of these are illustrated in monochrome; there are 29 full-page plates in colour - probably as ambitious a coverage as has ever been accorded to a South African artist; and a full introduction on his style, media and way of work.  There is also a complete catalogue of the group of fine lithographs that are known to the general public as the 'Bowler prints', all but three of which are illustrated.  An introduction to this in the form of a technical and historical study of contemporary lithographs is an invaluable reference for the collector, especially as all the known information on the prints has been corrected and brought up to date."