Woodblock for The Black Horse, from a General History of Quadrupeds c. 1790

This is the original woodblock for *The Black Horse*, an illustration from Thomas Bewick's *General History of Quadrupeds*. Created around 1790, the block depicts a black horse standing in profile with its head turned towards the viewer, surrounded by a landscape and smaller animals. Bewick, known for his innovative wood engravings, utilized a technique called "white-line engraving" to create the image on the woodblock. This technique, where the artist cuts away the wood to create the lines, was a major departure from the traditional method of carving into the wood. This is a rare example of a woodblock used to print Bewick's famous engravings.