Edward Lear 1812 - 1888

(His great love of Corfu)

 

Edward Lear, the multi talented writer, poet, zoologist, topographer, and artist visited Corfu for the first time in 1848 - invited by George Brown, the Dean of the Ionian university at the time.

 

Since that first visit and until 1877 he remained loyal to Corfu, the island that he called the 'prettiest place on earth' and it was from Corfu that he travelled to other parts of Greece, Egypt, Italy, the Indies and elsewhere.

 

Brought up by his elder sister, 21 years his senior, and a member of a family of 22, he was to play a serious role in the nineteenth century. An epileptic and asthmatic, with a serious visual impairment, self taught Edward attracted the admiration of zoologists when at the age of 20 he published the first detailed book about parrots and parrot related birds. This work of his was considered to be the most perfect of its kind and he gained a reputation as an ornithological draughtsman.

After this success which made him very well known, the British universities and members of the high society invited him to paint animals and plants. He did become suffocated by the many orders for paintings received but it is known that he didn't have any other means of income.

 

His years on Corfu were creative and the landscapes he painted, the information he collated about the population, morals and customs, tools, roads, animals and ships were circulated all over Europe. That is how the first travel guide for the island of Feakes (Corfu) was created for nineteenth century Corfu.

               

In his own words to his friends, Edward wrote:

"I would like to be able to give you my dear friends a picture of this island. Its beauty - this is what paradise should be like. I don't have time to paint because the landscape around me is so magical that it wont allow me to work. Corfiots are so civilized and polite. The only thing that bothers me here is the climate which doesn't help my health"

 

During his stay here, he was visited by well known people, especially from Britain, to admire his work. Today his paintings which show the castles, Kanoni, Analypsis, Kato Garouna, Gastouri, Nymfes, Potamos etc can be found in art galleries and displayed by some of the most renowned art collectors.

 

Edward Lear loved the island of Corfu so much that he had said if his health hadn't deteriorated so much he would have rather have died here and not in San Remo.

 

For the Corfiots and all the world, he remains the person who showed Corfu in its best light.