A self-portrait of the artist, seated at his drawing board holding a pencil; easel and palette in background

William Pether, an English mezzotint engraver, painter and miniaturist, was born in Carlisle in 1738 and was the cousin of the landscape painter Abraham Pether. He became a pupil of Thomas Frye and in 1761 became his partner. In 1765 he was elected a foundation fellow of the Incorporated Society of Artists and served as a director from 1771-72 and 1773-74. He was a skilled printmaker and is best known for his reproductions after works by Rembrandt and Joseph Wright of Derby.