Laurence F. Savage drawings of animals at ZSL London Zoo

These beautiful drawings were kindly presented to ZSL by Laurence F. Savage on 27 November 2008. Most of the 15 drawings depict animals at ZSL London Zoo during the 1950s. All were drawn from life giving the viewer a sense of potential movement, the animals look as though they will leave or change their position at any time.

Some of Laurence’s happiest memories are from the many Sundays he would spend at ZSL London Zoo drawing animals from life. He would spend many hours drawing his different, not always static models. He learned the different feed times so he could hopefully find some of the animals having an afternoon snooze. Not all the models cooperated and often he would find himself in the middle of a particularly difficult pose when the animal would get up and walk off.

Laurence used Conte pastel pencils for his drawings, this is an old traditional method widely used by Victorian artists.

ZSL is grateful to Laurence F. Savage for this generous donation which he presented to ZSL on 27 November 2009.

The drawings are being displayed in ZSL’s Reception in the Main Offices and in the Reading Room of the Library until the end of January 2009. If you are a member of ZSL, please bring your membership card when you visit. If you are not a member of ZSL, please bring proof of address and photographic ID to obtain access.