William Holl

Background

The eldest of four sons of William Holl the Elder (c1771–1838), he was taught engraving by his father – at first stipple and later line on steel.

Career

The first portrait engraving produced on his own was that of Thomas Cranmer in May 1829 for inclusion in Edmund Lodge"s Portraits of Illustrious Personages. He contributed further work to this publication between 1829 and 1835 after artists such as van Loo, Holbein, Van Dyck, Lely, Godfrey Kneller and Daniel Mytens. Holl also produced portraits for William Jerdan"s National Portrait Gallery (1830-1834) and for the 1834 Chambers"s Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Scotsmen.

The third brother Charles Holl (c1810–1882) aided William throughout his career.

In the 1840s his major works were engravings after William Powell Frith, illustrating the poems of Thomas Moore "Beauties of Moore" (1840) and scriptural engravings after various artists such as Raphael, Rembrandt, Benjamin West and James Northcote for inclusion in Blackie & Sons" Imperial Family Bible (1844) and John Kitto"s Gallery of Scripture Engravings (1846-1849). He also produced portraits for the Imperial Dictionary (1861) and Thomas Baines"s Yorkshire Past and Present (1871-1877).

Achievements

• He was a founder member of the Chalcographic Society started by several notable engravers in 1830. The youngest brother Benjamin (1808–1884) also achieved notable success as a portrait and figure engraver and later emigrated to the United States of America.