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Clare Leighton (1898–1989) – 'The Tortoise', 1935 Wood Engraving from Four Hedges, Mounted
Earl and Rymer
for sale €23     $25
£20
Earl and Rymer

Earl and Rymer

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Clare Leighton (1898–1989) – 'The Tortoise', 1935 Wood Engraving from Four Hedges, Mounted

1920 - 1940
For Sale by Earl and Rymer
Description

Clare Leighton (1898–1989) – 'The Tortoise', 1935 Wood Engraving from Four Hedges, Mounted.

1935 wood engraving by the celebrated British printmaker, Clare Leighton. This powerful work is an impression from her highly influential biographical gardening journal, Four Hedges: A Gardener’s Chronicle, printed by the Camelot Press.

A wonderfully detailed wildlife study, this engraving depicts a garden tortoise navigating a lawn.

Perfect as a standalone piece or paired with other prints from our Clare Leighton collection.

Condition: Excellent vintage condition. The piece has been put in an appropriate modern mount which makes it ready to frame in a frame of your choosing.

Image Size: 5cm x 9cm. Mount Size: 15cm x 19cm.

Clare Leighton (1898–1989) was a pioneering figure in the twentieth-century revival of wood engraving. Born in London, she studied at the Slade School of Fine Art and the Central School of Arts and Crafts, where she honed a style defined by its robust energy and poetic realism. Best known for portraying the enduring spirit of the English countryside and the dignity of agrarian work, Leighton’s works are celebrated for their sweeping composition and dramatic use of light. In 1935, Four Hedges solidified her reputation as both a masterful visual artist and an empathetic writer. Today, her work is highly collectible and permanently held in major institutions globally, including the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Physical Dimensions
Height
15cm (5.91")
Width
19cm (7.48")
Declaration

Earl and Rymer has dated this Clare Leighton Wood Engraving to the 1930s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1220738
Dealers Internal Reference
1372-1389
Description
Clare Leighton (1898–1989) – 'The Tortoise', 1935 Wood Engraving from Four Hedges, Mounted.

1935 wood engraving by the celebrated British printmaker, Clare Leighton.

This powerful work is an impression from her highly influential biographical gardening journal, Four Hedges: A Gardener’s Chronicle, printed by the Camelot Press.
Earl and Rymer
fig 1. A monochrome wood engraving depicting a tortoise walking across textured ground beside foliage, presented within a light grey mount.
fig 1. Clare Leighton (1898–1989) – 'The Tortoise', 1935 Wood Engraving from Four Hedges, Mounted

A wonderfully detailed wildlife study, this engraving depicts a garden tortoise navigating a lawn.

Perfect as a standalone piece or paired with other prints from our Clare Leighton collection.

Condition: Excellent vintage condition. The piece has been put in an appropriate modern mount which makes it ready to frame in a frame of your choosing.

Image Size: 5cm x 9cm. Mount Size: 15cm x 19cm.

Clare Leighton (1898–1989) was a pioneering figure in the twentieth-century revival of wood engraving. Born in London, she studied at the Slade School of Fine Art and the Central School of Arts and Crafts, where she honed a style defined by its robust energy and poetic realism. Best known for portraying the enduring spirit of the English countryside and the dignity of agrarian work, Leighton’s works are celebrated for their sweeping composition and dramatic use of light. In 1935, Four Hedges solidified her reputation as both a masterful visual artist and an empathetic writer. Today, her work is highly collectible and permanently held in major institutions globally, including the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Height
15cm (5.91")
Width
19cm (7.48")
Date of Manufacture

Earl and Rymer has dated this Clare Leighton Wood Engraving to the 1930s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1220738
Dealers Internal Ref
1372-1389
Earl and Rymer
Earl and Rymer
Sellingantiques verified Since Feb 2026

Earl & rymer specialise in beautiful, interesting and unusual decorative antiques and art.

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Earl and Rymer Profile Page

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A monochrome wood engraving depicting a tortoise walking across textured ground beside foliage, presented within a light grey mount.
1 / 2
Archive I A monochrome wood engraving depicting a tortoise walking across textured ground beside foliage, presented within a light grey mount.

Clare Leighton (1898–1989) – 'The Tortoise', 1935 Wood Engraving from Four Hedges, Mounted

Archive II A monochrome wood engraving depicting a tortoise walking across textured ground beside foliage, presented within a light grey mount. View II
Enlarged Archival View
Telephone 07879 460591
Location
York
Yorkshire
United Kingdom

By appointment only.
Verified Since Feb 2026
Items For Sale 125
Items Sold 19
Earl and Rymer
Earl and Rymer
Verified Since Feb 2026
View Dealer Info
Location: York, Yorkshire, United Kingdom, , By appointment only.
Verified
Feb 2026
For Sale
125
Sold
19
A monochrome wood engraving depicting a tortoise walking across textured ground beside foliage, presented within a light grey mount.
Clare Leighton (1898–1989) – 'The Tortoise', 1935 Wood Engraving from Four Hedges, Mounted
Ref: SA1220738
A monochrome wood engraving depicting a tortoise walking across textured ground beside foliage, presented within a light grey mount.
Detail View 1
Archival Detail
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Antiques are the ultimate green purchase. By choosing historical pieces over newly manufactured goods, you completely eliminate the carbon footprint of modern mass production while preserving exceptional, timeless craftsmanship.

Wood engraving experienced a major revival in Britain during the 1920s and 1930s, driven by artist-illustrators who used end-grain wood blocks to create detailed prints for private presses and commercial publications.

Wood engravings are produced using dense end-grain hardwoods, typically boxwood, carved with fine steel gravers and burins before being inked and printed onto paper.

Authentic period wood engravings exhibit precise relief impression marks, crisp white lines cut out of black backgrounds, and subtle paper texture characteristic of mid-twentieth-century printing presses.

Small woodcut prints work well when layered in gallery walls, displayed on narrow picture ledges, or framed individually in minimalist moulding to highlight their graphic line work.

Keep prints away from direct sunlight, house them behind UV-protective glass, use acid-free mounting boards, and maintain a stable humidity level to prevent foxing or paper discoloration.
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