Reverend Robert Hawker, D.D.

Reverend Robert Hawker, D.D. is a significant example of early nineteenth-century portraiture, executed as an engraving in 1820 by William Blake and John Ponsford. This British print, produced during the period of 1801 to 1825, captures the likeness of the renowned evangelical theologian and author. The classification of the work as a print suggests a collaborative process where Blake may have provided the original design or preparatory drawing, while Ponsford specialized in the technical skill required for transferring the image onto the metal plate, ensuring high-quality prints for dissemination.

Robert Hawker (1753–1827) was a dominant figure in the Anglican Church, serving for decades as the Vicar of Charles Church in Plymouth. He was highly influential in the Calvinistic wing of the Church of England, and his published works, such as The Poor Man's Commentary, were immensely popular. Portrait engravings like this one were crucial tools in the visual culture of the era, serving to commemorate and circulate the image of public figures, often appearing as the frontispieces for collected volumes of sermons or devotional texts. Ponsford’s detailed execution of the subject emphasizes Hawker's solemnity and intellectual authority, capturing the gravity expected of a prominent clerical figure of the time.

The association with Blake, known primarily for his visionary poetry and symbolic print cycles, lends a unique gravitas to the commission. Although Blake’s direct involvement in the labor of the finished engraving is a point of scholarly discussion regarding collaborative pieces, his role as a designer or originator of the concept elevates the artistic context. This specific example of British portraiture provides valuable insight into the commercial and religious intersections of the visual arts in the early 19th century. The work resides in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, where it is preserved as an example of period graphic arts. Today, because of its age, Reverend Robert Hawker, D.D. is increasingly accessible to researchers and the public through digitized public domain art resources.