BRYER, Henry (d. 1799), engraver, was a pupil of William Wynne Ryland, in partnership with whom he for some years carried on an extensive printselling business in Cornhill; but, owing chiefly to Ryland's extravagance, the firm became bankrupt. In 1762 Bryer gained the Society of Arts premium for a large plate representing Mars and Venus discovered by Vulcan. He exhibited at the Society of Artists between 1765 and 1774, and engraved several plates after Angelica Kauffmann. In 1778, when living in St Martin's Lane, Bryer published Aglaia bound by Cupid from the original picture by Angelica Kauffmann.

Ryland, William Wynne (b. London July 1732; d. London 29 Aug 1783). English engraver and print-publisher. He was the first important English stipple engraver. The son of an engraver, Edward Ryland (d. 1771), he was apprenticed to Simon-Francois Ravenet, and he later studied in Paris. On returning to London he produced in 1761 a line engraving of the young George III after Allan Ramsay (see O'Donoghue, no 95), the first of four fine full-lengths, and in 1762 he was appointed engraver to the King. In 1764 he began to engrave drawings in the crayon manner learned in Paris, for the Collection of Prints in Imitation of Drawings (1788), compiled by Charles Rogers (1711 - 84). In 1767 Ryland entered into partnership with Henry BRYER (c. 1744-1776), selling prints, mostly by others, but the partners went bankrupt in 1771. In 1770 he was involved in a disastrous speculation, exporting and prints to India on borrowed money. He resumed print-selling in 1772, publishing mezzotints after Angelica Kauffmann. After beginning to engrave in stipple in 1774 he became successful, issuing some 50 very popular stipples, mostly after Kauffmann; she retouched proofs for him and on occasion painted or drew specifically for him. Several of his images, such as the pensive Maria (1779), from an illustration to Laurence Sterne's A Sentimental Journey, were used on all kinds of decoration and became known throughout Europe. In 1780 he held an exhibition of prints after pictures by Kauffmann, possibly the first exhibition by a London printseller. Ryland lived expensively; despite high earnings, he was in such difficulties, because of his Indian debts, that he forged bills of exchange to the value of £7,000, and he was executed.

Bibliography
O'Donoghue; Thieme-Becker
R. Bleackley: List of William Wynne Ryland's Engravings, Connoisseur xii (1905), pp. 110-111
H. Singer: William Wynne Ryland's Engravings, Connoisseur xiii (1905), pp. 13-18
H. Walpole: Anecdotes of Painting in England, ed. F. W. Hilles and P.B. Daghlian, v (New Haven, 1937), pp. 218-223

A Dictionary of Artists of the English School, S. Redgrave, 1878

BRYER, Henry, engraver. He was a pupil of W. Wynne Ryland, and afterward entered into partnership with him in the shop opened in Cornhill. He received, in 1762, the Society of Arts' premium for a plate - Mars discovered with Venus by Vulcan; but his engraved works are few - some plates after Angelica Kauffmann and a Bacchus and Ariadne. He died 1799.

Paul SANDBY (b. Nottingham Jan 1731; d. London 7 Nov 1809). Painter, draughtsman, printmaker and drawing-master....In 1765 Ryland and Bryer published his etchings. These combine topographical accuracy with a sensitivity to lighting effects and meticulously observed figure groups;....

These three entries appear in this online publication:

BRYER, Anne, printseller, 5, Poland Street 1788. Poss. widow of Henry Bryer. J. C. Smith 124, 748.
BRYER, Henry, printer, 10, Bell's Buildings, Fleet Street 1799H; Bridewell Hospital, Bridge Street, Blackfriars 1800-36. Registered press 1800. Brown; Todd.
BRYER, Henry, engraver and printseller, 27, opp. Royal Exchange, Cornhill 1767-1771; Cornhill c1772-76; no. 28 1775, 12, Stephen Street, Tottenham Court Road 1773. Trading: as Ryland and Bryer 1767-71; as Henry Bryer 1772-76. D. by 1783. Pupil and partner of W. W. Ryland q.v. Bankrupt Dec. 1771, cert. 6 June 1772, div. I Aug. 1786 Sun insurance policy 349177 24 Jan 1775, Guildhall lib. ms. 11,936/236. J. C. Smith lii, 123-4, 214, 916; BM satires c 1771, 1773; DNB (under Ryland).

The following reference in a contemporary newspaper has also been found:
Bryer, Henry. Dividend declared for Dec. 19, 1775. William Wynne Ryland and Henry Bryer, Cornhill, London, Printsellers (London Gazette 18 Nov 1775)