William Wellstood

1819-1900

American (New York, New York)

William Wellstood was an American engraver born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He moved to the United States with his family in 1830 and settled in New York. He and his older brother John both became engravers. While John worked in the field of banknote engraving, William specialized in stipple engraving (a technique used to create tone in an intaglio print by distributing a pattern of dots of various sizes and densities across the image) and devoted himself to engraving portraits, landscapes and historical subjects. William Wellstood created a large body of work and gained a notable reputation in his profession.