Specially bound by sangorski & sutcliffe. A deluxe, specially bound copy of this important work on 'certainly the most popular water-colour artist of our time' (The Times obituary, 1899). Foster cut his teeth as an illustrator for Punch and The Illustrated London News, before focussing on watercolours, becoming an Associate of the 'Old' Watercolour Society (later the Royal Watercolour Society) in 1860, and going on to exhibit over four hundred of his paintings at the Royal Academy over more than two decades.

First edition, one of 500 deluxe copies signed by the publisher and with an additional etching bound before half-title; 4to; additional etching, portrait frontispiece, colour plates, captioned tissue-guards, illustrations, scattered faint spotting; bound in full decorative green crushed morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, small patch of discolouration to lower fore-corner of upper cover, but overall fine.