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William Hayley, Esq.

William Ridley

1798

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism 18th Century Portrait

Dominant colour

William Hayley, Esq. is a 1798 ink by William Ridley, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: William Ridley
When & what style?: 1798 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of a man inside a circular frame. He’s adjusting his cravat with one hand, looking slightly upward. The background is plain, focusing all attention on his face and gesture. The tiny dots and lines creating the image aren’t paint—they’re made by an engraving tool. This style was common before photography. Next, look up engraving to see how artists carved these details into metal plates.