Benjamin Smith

Benjamin Smith was a printmaker active in the late eighteenth century, with a documented period of activity spanning from 1786 to 1799. Specializing in engravings, Smith produced both original prints and reproductive images addressing historical, literary, and portrait subjects.

Six known examples of Benjamin Smith prints are currently preserved in museum collections, including the holdings of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His notable works include the literary illustration The Enchanted Island, Before the Cell of Prospero - Prospero and Miranda, derived from Shakespeare's The Tempest, and the narrative pieces Love and Learning, or the Oxford Scholar and Sigismonda (Sigismunda). Smith also contributed to portraiture, represented by two examples of the print William Hogarth.

The existence of these works in established institutions solidifies Smith’s role as a skilled engraver during the transitionary period of late Georgian art. Today, high-quality prints of the artist’s output are often available through digitization initiatives accessing public domain materials, ensuring that Benjamin Smith prints remain accessible for scholarly study.