William Holl the Younger

Who was William Holl the Younger?

William Holl the Younger was an English portrait and figure engraver, noted for his book illustrations. The eldest of four sons of William Holl the Elder, he was taught engraving by his father – at first stipple and later line on steel. 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. He was a founder member of the Chalcographic Society started by several notable engravers in 1830.

Holl also produced portraits for William Jerdan's National Portrait Gallery and for the 1834 Chambers's Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Scotsmen. Working with his brother Francis Holl, he provided engraved illustrations to Finden's 1837 Tableaux of National Character and Gallery of Beauty of 1841 and to the 1840 edition of The Land of Burns. The third brother Charles Holl aided William throughout his career. The youngest brother Benjamin also achieved notable success as a portrait and figure engraver and later emigrated to the USA.