Edward Lear (London, 12 May 1812 – Sanremo, 29 January 1888) lived in Rome from 1837 to 1848, apart from two trips to England during one of which he organized the publication of Illustrated Excursions, based on travels he had made in the area around in Rome and Naples. Read the notes in the preface "I have made all lithographic drawings from my own sketches and have attempted to preserve strict fidelity to the originals." Queen Victoria, one of the subscribers, was so impressed by Lear's work that she invited him to court to give her a series of twelve drawing lessons. Lear visited Abruzzo in 1843 and took up much of his Notes from the Italian Trip praising the region (at the time Abruzzi and Molise) for its impervious and delicate character and for the traditions still rooted in city life. He traveled around L'Aquila without entering it, passing around Cittaducale (at the time in Abruzzo), and then near the Liri Valley on the border with Marsica. It then entered the Marsican territory (Avezzano, Albe, Celano and Trasacco), and near the Cinquemiglia plateau, between Castel di Sangro, Rivisondoli and Alfedena, of which it will remember the very harsh winter. It subsequently passed through the ancient sheep track of Castel of Sangro, to reach Molise near Agnone and Bagnoli del Trigno. In 1847 he planned to visit the whole of Calabria but the Reggio riots of October 1847 allowed him to see only the province of Reggio. In 1848 he visited the areas of Vulture-Melfese (his experience is recounted in the many times reprinted work "Viaggio in Basilicata") and upper Irpinia. During all his travels Lear produced numerous illustrated accounts including the Journals of a Landscape Painter in Southern Calabria, an account of the Calabrian and Lucanian journey published in London in 1852.