William Byrne

William Byrne was a British engraver.

Byrne was born in London in 1743. After studying some time under his uncle, an artist little known, he went to Paris, where he became a pupil of Aliamet, and afterwards of Wille. As well as making individual plates, he worked with Thomas Hearne on the Antiquities of Great Britain, which they jointly published in 1786.

He died in London in 1805 and was buried in Old St. Pancras churchyard.

He was the father of Mary, Anne Frances, Letitia, Elizabeth and John Byrne, all artists. Their mother's name is unknown and William married again to Marianne Francotte in 1792.

Landscape engraver John Landseer was his pupil.

Text courtesy of Wikipedia, 2023