Recognizing a growing interest in the portrayal of nature in art, especially in the light of the increasing numbers of rare and endangered species, The Society for Wildlife Art of the Nations (SWAN) was set up to fill what was seen as a gap in international art collections. Its comprehensive aim was to create a world-class collection of works by major wildlife artists, incorporating work from any nation and any historical period, in any medium and of any wild living thing. A selection of SWAN's finest pieces of work is featured in this book. The text sets out to put wildlife art into context through the centuries and discusses its role - and that of SWAN - as the 20th century draws to a close.