JACOB, a celebrated engraver, whose great excellence consisted in the portrait line. His works are distinguished by an admirable softness and delicacy of execution, joined with good drawing and a fine taste. If his best performances have ever been surpassed, it is in the masterly determination of the features, which we find in the works of Nanteuil, Edelink, and Drevet; this gives an animation to the countenance, more easily to be felt than described. His works are pretty numerous; and most of them being for English publications, they are sufficiently known in this country. In particular the greater and best part of the collection of portraits of illustrious men, published in London by I. and P. Knapton, were by his hand.