John Selden, Jurist and Antiquary

Art Historical Context

This stipple engraving, titled *John Selden, Jurist and Antiquary*, captures the likeness of the renowned 17th-century English scholar John Selden (1584–1654), a pivotal figure in jurisprudence, oriental studies, and antiquarian pursuits. Created between 1751 and 1775 by engravers William Holl I or II after an original portrait by Daniel Mytens the Elder—a leading Dutch-born painter at the court of Charles I—the print preserves Selden's dignified presence for posterity. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's Rosenwald Collection, it exemplifies how 18th-century reproductions democratized access to elite portraiture. Stipple engraving, the medium here, is a refined intaglio technique that builds subtle tones and textures through meticulously dotted patterns rather than lines, allowing for soft, painterly effects ideal for replicating oil portraits. At 32 × 23.3 cm, this modest sheet size made it suitable for collectors' albums or scholarly libraries, reflecting the Enlightenment-era fascination with historical luminaries. Selden's legacy as a defender of parliamentary rights and author of influential works like *De Diis Syriis* underscores the print's cultural weight, bridging Renaissance portrait traditions with Georgian print culture. Visitors will appreciate how it honors a mind that shaped English law and learning.

About the Artist

William Holl I or William Holl II, after Daniel Mytens the Elder

**William Holl the Younger (1807–1871)** was a prominent British portrait and figure engraver whose meticulous work helped popularize historical and literary figures through widely circulated book illustrations in the nineteenth century. Born in Plaistow, Essex, in February 1807, he was the eldest of four sons of the engraver William Holl the Elder (1771–1838). He received his training directly fr...