Samuel Ireland's Architectural Prints

Samuel Ireland, an English author and engraver, started his career as a weaver in Spitalfields, London, before turning to the trade of prints and drawings. In his spare time, he taught himself drawing, etching, and engraving, making enough progress to win a medal from the Society of Arts in 1760. In 1784, he exhibited at the Royal Academy for the first and only time, showcasing a view of Oxford. Between 1780 and 1785, Ireland etched several plates after John Hamilton Mortimer and Hogarth, including those featured here, from Picturesque Views with an Historical Account of the Inns of Court in London and Westminster.