An Engraver and Writer of the Late Eighteenth Century
Isaac Taylor was an English engraver and writer of books for the young. Born in London, he was the son of Isaac Taylor and Sarah, daughter of Josiah Jefferys. He was raised as an engraver in his father's studio, working in both landscape and portraiture alongside his brother, Charles Taylor. During his apprenticeship, he supervised the execution of plates for Abraham Rees's edition of Chambers's Cyclopaedia.
His artistic output included engraving a set of views on the Thames near London and various plates for John Boydell's Bible and Shakespeare. Notably, in 1791, he engraved the assassination of Rizzio after John Opie, a work for which he received the gold palette from the Society of Arts. His later years were spent as a nonconformist pastor, first in Colchester and later in Ongar, Essex, where he lived until his death.
Literary and Topographical Works
Beyond his engravings, Taylor was a prolific author of educational manuals and biographical works. His publications included The Biography of a Brown Loaf, Advice to the Teens, and Beginnings of British Biography. He also produced a series of topographies, such as Scenes in Europe and Scenes in England, which featured engravings from designs often made by himself.
His family, known as the "Taylors of Ongar," was noted for its literary productivity. His wife, Ann Taylor, also authored several manuals of conduct and correspondence. His work as an engraver and writer spanned various subjects, from architectural details of the fifteenth-century church at Lavenham to religious and topographical illustrations.
Questions & Answers
In which historical period did Isaac Taylor work?
Isaac Taylor worked in the Early-Modern period. The period situates the artist's activity in history.
What aliases or alternate names does Isaac Taylor have?
Isaac Taylor appears under the alternate names Isaac II Taylor, Isaac Taylor the Younger, Isaac, the younger Taylor, アイザック・テイラー, Ii Taylor, Isaac.
How do I find works by Isaac Taylor on a specific theme?
Isaac Taylor's works can be explored by keyword on the artist's By Keywords page. Each keyword groups the related artworks.
How is Isaac Taylor's career divided into periods?
Isaac Taylor's career unfolds period by period on the artist's Chronicle page: a horizontal timeline of the artworks, grouped into career-period chapters.
