A Master of Lines: The Engraved Portraits of Joseph Samuel Webster Joseph Samuel Webster, a name perhaps less immediately recognizable than many of his contemporaries, nevertheless occupies a crucial position in the landscape of 18th-century British engraving. Born into an era captivated by portraiture and burgeoning print culture, Webster dedicated his career to meticulously translating the likenesses of prominent figures onto copper plates, ensuring their wider dissemination and enduring legacy. While biographical details remain frustratingly sparse – dates of birth and death bookending a…