author
W. (William) Finden
1787–1852
A leading English engraver of the early 19th century, he helped shape the look of illustrated books with finely finished steel engravings. Working closely with his brother Edward, he became especially known for literary and topographical plates that reached a wide Victorian audience.
2 Audiobooks
The Ports, Harbours, Watering-places and Picturesque Scenery of Great Britain Vol. 1
by W. (William) Finden
The Ports, Harbours, Watering-places and Picturesque Scenery of Great Britain Vol. 2
by W. (William) Finden
About the author
Born in London in 1787, William Finden trained as an engraver under James Mitan and went on to build a strong reputation for precise, polished line engraving. Early in his career he engraved book illustrations, including plates for editions of Don Quixote, and his careful finish quickly made his work stand out.
Finden often worked alongside his younger brother, Edward Francis Finden, and the two became closely associated with richly illustrated publishing projects. William engraved after leading artists of his day and contributed to major literary and scenic works, including projects connected with John Murray and landscape illustrations after J. M. W. Turner.
His work was popular enough that the Finden brothers employed assistants, showing how much demand there was for their engravings during the period. William Finden died on September 20, 1852, and is remembered as one of the notable English engravers who helped define the visual style of illustrated books in the first half of the 19th century.