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Abraham Rees

William Holl I

1811

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism Early 19th Century Portrait

Dominant colour

Abraham Rees is a 1811 ink by William Holl I, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: William Holl I
When & what style?: 1811 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of a man in old-fashioned clothes. He’s wearing a dark coat, a white cravat, and his hair is powdered and pulled back. His right hand rests on a small table holding a quill pen and an inkwell. The name "Abraham Rees, D.D.F.R.S." is printed below the image, showing he was likely a scholar or scientist. The texture looks like it was made by scratching lines into metal—a method called engraving. Want to learn more? Check out engraving to see how artists create detailed images this way.