“They weren’t high art or displayed in exclusive galleries to a select few. He is particularly known for his vignettes which were inserted into books. They’re very intimate pieces – partly because of their size and partly because they’re found in a book, an object owned by the individual.

“The detail in them is incredible – they really are wonderful.

“There’s already a lot of interest in Bewick up here and I’m hoping we can key into that fascination and open his work up to a wider audience at the same time.” The Laing exhibition will place the Tale Pieces in the context of their own collection of his works – displaying the vignettes alongside the books they were originally found in.

His work was so groundbreaking partly because the engravings broke a rule of picture making at the time – his scenes didn’t come to a stop at a hard edge or rectangular frame.

“He was a real pioneer,” said Ms Mayne.

“The Ikon exhibition in Birmingham is focusing on the Tale Pieces and we want to put them in a wider context.

“They were literally ‘tail pieces’, coming at the end of chapters but at the same time they were stories in themselves.

“They have been likened to Aesop’s Fables. They are also wonderful snapshots of everyday life.

“I think they will generate a lot of interest in the North East.”