Wood engraving

A print produced in a similar way to a woodcut. The main difference between the two techniques is in the block itself and in the finer results that are produced. Woodcuts are cut along the grain, in wood engraving a hard wood is cut across the grain. On this smooth, very hard, and grainless surface sharp tools can cut very fine furrows, each of which prints as a fine white line.

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Sir Edwin Chadwick
after Unknown artist
published in the Illustrated London News 22 January 1848
NPG D2037

Edward Jenner
published by Illustrated London News, after M.E. Paul
published 30 September 1865 (11 September 1865)
NPG D9007

Sarah Bernhardt
by Frédéric Florian, or by Ernest Florian, after Jan Marie Constantin van Beers
probably 1890s
NPG D1062

Eric Gill
by Eric Gill
1927
NPG D2774

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