John Boydell

John Boydell (1720-1802) was an English engraver, print publisher, art dealer and politician. Born in Dorrington, England, he was a land surveyor's son and was supposed to follow in his father's footsteps; hence, he was skilled in drawing and sketching. Boydell, however, chose another path and became an apprentice to an engraver, William Henry Toms. He was apprenticed for seven years before publishing his first volume of printed views of England and Wales in 1748. In 1752, he opened a print shop in Cheapside. Boydell later purchased old plates, imported prints, and sold works of art in several European countries, including France, Holland, Germany, and Italy. In 1789, he opened his Shakespeare Gallery in Pall Mall, and the first set of engravings based on paintings exhibited in the gallery was issued in 1791. Many leading artists exhibited at the venue. Later in life, he sustained severe financial losses due to the French Revolution and was forced to dispose of his Shakespeare Gallery by lottery. He became an alderman of the City of London and eventually the Lord Mayor of London.