William Say
(1768-1834), Mezzotint engraverSitter in 1 portrait
Artist associated with 261 portraits
Say went to London in 1788 and studied under engraver and painter James Ward. In 1807, he engraved William Beechey's portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, to whom he was then appointed engraver. Over his lifetime, Say produced a total of 335 plates, which included works after old masters as well as contemporary artists. In around 1819, he produced the first ever mezzotint engraving on steel. Say's son Frederic Richard Say was a successful portrait painter.
by William Say, after Thomas Barber
mezzotint, circa 1803-1834
NPG D15091
Thomas James Warren-Bulkeley, 7th Viscount Bulkeley
by William Say, after Sir William Beechey
mezzotint, circa 1803-1834
NPG D16145
by William Say, after Sir William Beechey
mezzotint, circa 1803-1834
NPG D18942
by William Say, published by Hannah Macklin (née Kenting), after Theophilus Clarke
mezzotint, published 10 January 1804
NPG D39089
by William Say, published by Hannah Macklin (née Kenting), after William Artaud
mezzotint, published 1 April 1804
NPG D39546
by and published by William Say, after Sir William Beechey
mezzotint, published 12 March 1804
NPG D41846
by and published by William Say, after Sir William Beechey
mezzotint, circa 1804
NPG D41847
by William Say, published by Joseph Johnson, after William Artaud
mezzotint, published 1 August 1804
NPG D4584
by William Say, published by Joseph Johnson, after William Artaud
mezzotint, published 1 August 1804
NPG D4585
by William Say, published by Joseph Johnson, after William Artaud
mezzotint, published 1 August 1804
NPG D4586
by William Say, published by Hannah Macklin (née Kenting), after William Artaud
mezzotint, published 1804
NPG D11311
by William Say, published by Thomas Palser, after James Northcote
mezzotint, published 20 August 1804
NPG D19467
by and published by William Say, after William Owen
mezzotint, published 1 February 1805
NPG D37064
by and published by William Say, after John James Masquerier
mezzotint, published 20 May 1806
NPG D35238
by and published by William Say, after John James Masquerier
mezzotint, published 20 May 1806
NPG D35239
Mary Margaret Leith-Hay (née Clark) as Una in Spenser's Faerie Queene
by and published by William Say, after James Northcote
mezzotint, published 20 September 1806
NPG D37291
Emily St Clare ('Portrait of a lady')
by and published by William Say, after Henry Thomson
mezzotint heightened with white bodycolour, published 1806
NPG D11343
Joseph Clayton Jennings (later Jennyns)
by and published by William Say, after Samuel Woodforde
mezzotint, published 10 September 1807
NPG D36506
by William Say, published by Edward Orme, after Firmin Massot
mezzotint, published 1 September 1807
NPG D38275
by William Say, after John Hoppner
mezzotint, published 1808 (1807)
NPG D2524
Comments back to top
We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.
If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.