Gilbert’s Engraving

The engraving is a composite of the sitters portraits, imagined by the artists as all sat together in the Library, there is no evidence that they ever meet in this way. It has to be an imaginative work because the Walkers were children in 1807/8 and the rest of the creators were not born at that time.

The National Portrait Gallery has a three versions in their collection. The artists and engravers for the three versions of the picture were;

• Engraver and publisher—William Walker (1791-1867) also the writer of the accompanying book.
• His wife Elizabeth (1800-1871), a miniaturist.
• The artists, Frederick John Skill (1824-1881) and John Gilbert (1817-1897).
• The engraver—George Zobel (1810-1881).

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