Antique 1855 Portrait of James Watt, engraved by William Holl Jr., after the painting by Sir William Beechy, stipple engraving on heavy stock paper.

James Watt (30 January 1736 /19 January 1736 OS - 25 August 1819) was a Scottish inventor, mechanical engineer, and chemist whose Watt steam engine, an improvement of the Newcomen steam engine, was fundamental to the changes brought by the Industrial Revolution in both his native Great Britain and the rest of the world.

While working as an instrument maker at the University of Glasgow, Watt became interested in the technology of steam engines. He realized that contemporary engine designs wasted a great deal of energy by repeatedly cooling and reheating the cylinder. Watt introduced a design enhancement, the separate condenser, which avoided this waste of energy and radically improved the power, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of steam engines. Eventually he adapted his engine to produce rotary motion, greatly broadening its use beyond pumping water.

William Holl, the Younger (February 1807 in Plaistow, Essex - 30 January 1871) was an English portrait and figure engraver, noted for his book illustrations.
The eldest of four sons of William Holl the Elder (c.1771-1838), he was taught engraving by his father - at first stipple and later line on steel. The first portrait engraving produced on his own was that of Thomas Cranmer in May 1829 for inclusion in Edmund Lodge's Portraits of Illustrious Personages. He contributed further work to this publication between 1829 and 1835 after artists such as van Loo, Holbein, Van Dyck, Lely, Godfrey Kneller and Daniel Mytens. He was a founder member of the Chalcographic Society started by several notable engravers in 1830.
Holl also produced portraits for William Jerdan's National Portrait Gallery (1830-1834) and for the 1834 Chambers's Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Scotsmen. Working with his brother Francis Holl (1815-1884), he provided engraved illustrations to Finden's 1837 'Tableaux of National Character' and 'Gallery of Beauty' of 1841 and to the 1840 edition of The Land of Burns. The third brother Charles Holl (c.1810-1882) aided William throughout his career. The youngest brother Benjamin (1808-1884) also achieved notable success as a portrait and figure engraver and later emigrated to the USA.

Sir William Beechey (12 December 1753 - 28 January 1839) was an English portrait-painter.

Beechey was interested in painting from an early age, being admitted to the Royal Academy Schools in 1772. In the early part of his painting life Beechey specialized in small-scale full-length portraits. Between 1782 and 1787 he lived in Norwich, and eventually painted four works for the collection of civic portraits hung in St Andrew's Hall in the city, only one was done during his residence there.
Beechey returned to London in 1787. Eventually he came to the notice of the royal family, and in 1793 painted a full-length picture of Queen Charlotte, who appointed him her official portrait painter. In the same year he was elected an associate of the Royal Academy. He painted not only the portraits of the royal family, but of nearly all the most famous or fashionable people of the time. His George III and the Prince of Wales reviewing troops a large composition showing the king and prince surrounded by a brilliant staff on horseback, was painted in 1798. It obtained for him the honour of knighthood, and his election as a full member of the Royal Academy.

Artwork will be mailed unframed, well packaged.

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US: Priority (c 2-4 days) - $12.50

Canada:
Priority (c. 2-6 weeks) - $27.50
Express (c 5-7 days) ---- $44.50

World:
Priority (c.2-8 weeks) -- $37.50
Express (c 5-10 days) --- $66.50

c. 4.1/4" x 5. 1/4" (109mm x 135mm), the plate size 5. 3/4 x 9. 1/2" (148mm x 238mm), yellowish stains [foxing], good+/ very good condition