Steel engraved portrait of Jeremy Bentham after G. F. Watts

What it is

This is a steel engraving of the philosopher Jeremy Bentham, made in 1853 by James Posselwhite after a painting by G. F. Watts. The engraving shows an elderly man with long white hair, a wide-brimmed hat, a cravat and a dark coat over a waistcoat. The title BENTHAM appears below the image, with engraved dedication text and a publisher credit. It is held by the University of Edinburgh.

Why it matters

The engraving was made more than twenty years after Bentham died in 1832, so it is a later reproduction rather than an image made during his lifetime. It shows how Bentham was remembered in the mid-nineteenth century, when printed portraits of famous reformers were widely sold. Its source is Watts's painting, so it also connects Bentham to the artist who produced the original likeness.

Look closer

• What details of clothing and appearance does the engraver choose to show, and what might they suggest about Bentham?
• Why might a publisher have wanted a dedication and credit line on a portrait like this?
• What can this later copy not tell us about how Bentham looked or behaved in his own time?