Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Harris, John (fl.1680-1740)
HARRIS, JOHN (fl. 1680–1740), engraver, was mainly employed on engraving for works on architecture or topography. The earliest engraving bearing his name is one of ‘The Encampment of the Royal Army on Hounslow Heath in 1686.’ In 1700 he engraved a map of the world after a drawing by Edmund Halley. He engraved some of the views of gentlemen's seats in ‘Britannia Illustrata’ (1709–31) and some of the elevations in the fourth volume of ‘Vitruvius Britannicus’ (1739). Among other engravings by him are a view of Cadiz, some views of St. Mary-le-Strand, some plates for T. Baston's ‘Ships of the Royal Navy,’ plates for the ‘Oxford Almanack,’ &c. His work was carefully executed. Vertue mentions another engraver living in London in 1713 ‘Harris, jun.: etcher,’ thus suggesting there were two of the name.
[Strutt's Dict. of Engravers; Dodd's manuscript Hist. of Engravers (Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 33401); Vertue's MSS. (Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 23070.)]